Natasha’s constituents tricked into appending signatures for her recall which was disguised as cash empowerment

A cash empowerment announcement was used to lure people out with their voters cards to begin a recall process for Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, it was gathered.

Akpoti-Uduaghan is from the Kogi Central Senatorial District where some people initiated the recall process against her, but sent town crier to announced that the constituents should come with their voters cards to receive cash in exchange for appending their signatures to a form, per Punch Newspaper report.

The newspaper reported that the town crier went around Okehi on Tuesday, inviting people for empowerment, but on getting there, they were asked to submit their voter card number in exchange for money.

But INEC has swiftly disowned the exercise.

One of its officials in Kogi, Gabriel Longpet said: “I am not aware of any recall process, apart from the unconfirmed reports flying about on social media. No one has contacted me about any recall in any part of the state,” Longpet said.

But one of the electorates quoted by the newspaper, Nura Ibrahim, said the exercise is being carried out beyond party lines because of the growing dissatisfaction among constituents with Akpoti-Uduaghan’s performance, particularly in addressing key issues like poverty, infrastructure, and education.

“The decision to initiate the recall process was not taken lightly, with key stakeholders stating that they had tried to engage with Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan on several occasions, but their efforts were met with disdain and arrogance,” he said.

The recall process is expected to take two days across all polling units in the five local governments of Kogi Central.

During this time, constituents will be required to sign a petition calling for the senator’s recall.