The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has affirmed that the petition seeking the recall of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents Kogi Central Senatorial District, will be handled strictly in accordance with legal provisions.

 

In a statement issued  by Sam Olumekun, INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, the commission emphasized that the recall process is guided by the 1999 Constitution, the Electoral Act 2022, and INEC’s Regulations and Guidelines for Recall 2024, which are publicly available on its website.

INEC confirmed that it has reviewed the petition, which was accompanied by six bags of documents containing signatures purportedly collected from more than half of the 474,554 registered voters across 902 polling units in 57 registration areas (wards) within the five Local Government Areas of Kogi Central—Adavi, Ajaokuta, Ogori/Magongo, Okehi, and Okene.

 

However, the commission noted a procedural shortfall in the submission. The petitioners failed to provide a clear contact address, multiple telephone numbers, and email addresses as required by Clause 1(f) of INEC’s regulations and guidelines.

 

“The address given is ‘Okene, Kogi State,’ which is not a definite location for contacting the petitioners,” INEC stated. “Only the telephone number of ‘the lead petitioner’ is provided instead of the required numbers of all the other representatives.”

 

INEC reiterated that the recall of a legislator is entirely the prerogative of registered voters within the affected constituency. The process requires a valid petition indicating a loss of confidence in the elected representative. Once the petition meets submission criteria, INEC will commence signature verification at each polling unit in a transparent process involving only the registered voters who signed the petition.

Key aspects of the verification process include:

• The use of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) to authenticate signatures.

• The opportunity for both the petitioners and the senator facing recall to nominate agents to observe the verification.

• The presence of accredited election observers and the media to ensure transparency.

 

INEC assured the public that if the petitioners comply fully with the submission requirements, it will announce the next steps in line with existing laws, regulations, and guidelines.

Due to the absence of a definite contact address, INEC is exploring alternative means to notify the petitioners of the situation. The commission urged them to fulfill the necessary requirements to facilitate the next phase of the recall process.

 

INEC’s statement underscores its commitment to due process and legal compliance in handling legislative recall petitions. The coming weeks will determine whether the petitioners can correct the identified deficiencies and proceed with their bid to recall Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan.