The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said the petition submitted for the recall of the senator representing Kogi Central in the National Assembly, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, has failed to meet constitutional requirements.
In a statement signed by the Secretary to INEC, Rose Oriaran-Anthony, the commission said the petition failed to meet Section 69(a) of the Nigerian constitution.
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“The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) hereby notifies the public that the petition for the recall of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central Senatorial District, which was submitted to the Commission on Monday 24h March 2025 by representatives of the petitioners who are registered voters in the constituency, has not met the requirement of Section 69(a) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended),” the statements reads in part.
INEC explained that the constitutional requirement for a recall was to get a signed petition by at least 50 per cent plus one person registered to vote in the constituency.
However, the petition submitted was signed by 43.86 per cent of the constituents. It said only 208,132 of the 474,554 registered voters in the constituency signed the petition.
“Consequently, no further action shall be taken on the petition,” the statement said.
“This Public Notice is issued pursuant to the provision of Clause 2(d) of the Regulations and Guidelines for the Recall of a Member of the National Assembly, House of Assembly of a State or Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (2024).”
In another statement by its spokesperson, Sam Olumekun, INEC explained that the signatories’ requirement fell short by 29,146 voters from the constituency.
Mr Olumekun said the leadership of the Senate has also been copied in the public notice of the outcome.
“The public notice, along with a summary of the review of the signatures/thumbprints of the petitioners, which are disaggregated by Local Government Areas, are available on our website and social media platforms for public information,” the statement said.
Recall that a group of voters, under the aegis of Concerned Kogi Youth and Women, submitted the petition for Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan’s recall as a senator.
In a letter addressed to INEC chairperson, Mahmood Yakubu, members of the group said they had lost confidence in her representation at the National Assembly and, therefore, asked the commission to commence the process of recalling her.
Last week, INEC wrote the presiding officers of the Senate and Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan, informing them of the process.
Many Nigerians had questioned the petition after the promoters claimed that over half of the 400,000 plus voters in the constituency signed the petition.
INEC, as part of the process, was expected to verify each of the over 200,000 signatories.
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