EXCLUSIVE: Senate President Akpabio's Former Aide, Now INEC Commissioner Udo Umoren Allegedly Working Out Senator Natasha’s Recall

The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, successful a hopeless bid to soundlessness dissenting voices and accusations against him, is utilizing his erstwhile Chief of Staff, Mr. Etekamba Udo Umoren — who was precocious appointed arsenic the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of Delta State — to facilitate the callback of suspended Senator, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, SaharaReporters has learnt.

Akpoti-Uduaghan was suspended from the Senate connected March 6 for alleged “gross misconduct” pursuing a quality with Senate President Akpabio.

SaharaReporters learnt from apical sources that Umoren was allegedly seen astatine the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) office Abuja, from 8am to 8pm connected Monday, actively moving to expedite the callback process against Akpoti-Uduaghan.

A root acquainted with the concern told SaharaReporters, that “Akpabio’s erstwhile Chief of Staff, Mr. Etekamba Udo Umoren, who is present the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of Delta State, is doing Akpabio’s soiled occupation by ensuring the callback of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.”

The root further alleged that “Umoren was astatine INEC from 8am to 8pm past night, facilitating the callback process, pursuing Akpabio’s nonstop instructions.”

Meanwhile, the root claimed that “Akpabio has instructed Umoren to study to INEC each time until the callback process is completed.”

When SaharaReporters contacted Mr. Etekamba Udo Umoren, helium neither answered his telephone nor responded to the connection sent to him.

SaharaReporters connected Monday reported that astir 250,000 registered voters from Kogi Central were alleged to person signed a petition submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) seeking Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan's recall.

A nonmigratory who participated successful submitting the petition had confirmed this to newsmen successful a video seen by SaharaReporters. She insisted the callback effort was driven by constituents.

SaharaReporters had reported that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) officially received the petition contempt a Federal High Court injunction restraining it from doing so.

The petition was accepted connected Monday by INEC Secretary, Rose Oriaran-Anthony.

On March 21, 2025, a Federal High Court successful Lokoja ruled successful favour of an interim injunction blocking INEC from accepting the callback petition owed to allegations of falsified signatures.

The ruling was delivered by Justice Isa H. Dashen successful suit fig FHC/LKJ/CS/13/2025.

The tribunal bid restrained INEC from “receiving, accepting, oregon acting successful immoderate mode whatsoever connected immoderate purported petitions submitted to the suspect by immoderate idiosyncratic oregon persons whatsoever, containing fictitious signatures and names of purported members of Kogi Central Senatorial District and conducting immoderate referendum whatsoever upon specified petition for the intent of initiating a callback process.”

The lawsuit is scheduled for a proceeding connected May 6, 2025.

SaharaReporters had besides reported however politicians loyal to erstwhile Governor Yahaya Bello orchestrated the fraudulent callback process.

Residents person accused them of deceiving voters into signing callback documents nether the guise of an empowerment program.

SaharaReporters obtained videos showing unsuspecting residents being tricked into providing their elector details.

“We are not present for the callback process of Natasha. We are present for an empowerment. And we were fixed instructions to travel with our elector cards,” a nonmigratory revealed.

Another resident, Mrs. Joseph, condemned the callback process arsenic fraudulent.

“I telephone the callback process a mess. Nobody was alert of it astatine all. These radical deceived them with the committedness of empowerment. It was lone erstwhile we arrived that galore of america realised this was not normal,” she said.

She further alleged that the callback effort lacked nationalist support.

“People started leaving. I spot it arsenic a fraud, and they are doing thing the radical bash not support. I myself bash not enactment it, and the bulk of radical successful this section authorities are against it.”

The contention surrounding Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan’s callback intensified aft she publically accused Senate President Godswill Akpabio of intersexual harassment. Following this, she was controversially suspended from the Senate, a determination galore judge is politically motivated. 

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