The unfolding legal drama surrounding the attempted recall of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan took a new turn on Thursday, as the Federal High Court in Lokoja approved a motion for substituted service of court documents on two individuals named in the controversial petition.
Justice Isa Dashen granted the request following an ex parte application brought by the plaintiffs’ counsel, Ehiogie West-Idahosa, SAN, seeking permission to serve hearing notices and originating processes on the two petitioners—Salihu Habib and Charity Omole—through alternate means, having failed to deliver them in person.
The plaintiffs, Anebe Jacob-Ogirima, John Adebisi, Musa Siyaka-Adeiza, Ahmed Usman, and Maleek Yahaya, first made headlines on March 20 when they secured an interim injunction restraining the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from entertaining any recall petition targeting Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan.
However, that legal reprieve was short-lived. INEC swiftly challenged the ruling, asserting that no individual or group could inhibit its constitutional mandate.
The court, agreeing with this position, vacated the ex parte order on March 24, thereby clearing the way for constituents in Kogi Central to formally submit a recall petition.
The petition, alleging misconduct on the part of the senator during her tenure in the National Assembly, was ultimately dismissed by INEC for lacking merit.
Yet, the plaintiffs pushed forward with their legal challenge, naming Habib and Omole—both signatories to the petition—as additional defendants in their suit.
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During Thursday’s session, Smart Nwachimere, who stood in for West-Idahosa, informed the court that efforts to serve the newly added defendants had proved unsuccessful, prompting the request for substituted service.
This latest development adds yet another layer to what has become a politically charged and procedurally complex case, pitting grassroots petitioners against a high-profile senator with growing influence in Kogi politics.
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has repeatedly dismissed the recall efforts as baseless and politically motivated.
In recent public remarks, she dared her political rivals to take her to court over what she described as fabricated allegations, including alleged death threats.
With the court now allowing the case to proceed despite the earlier dismissal of the petition by INEC, legal observers say the outcome could set significant precedents regarding electoral accountability and the limits of citizen-led recall efforts.
The case is expected to return to court in the coming weeks for further hearings.