Recall Petition Against Natasha Akpoti Did Not Meet Constitutional Requirements – INEC

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has stated that the petition to recall Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents Kogi Central, does not meet constitutional requirements.

In a post on its official X handle on Thursday, INEC clarified that the petition failed to fulfill the conditions outlined in Section 69(a) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

INEC wrote; “The petition for the recall of the Senator representing the Kogi Central Senatorial District has not met the requirement of Section 69(a) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended)”.

The commission previously identified a key flaw in the recall petition, noting that the petitioners’ representatives failed to provide complete contact details, making it difficult to reach them.

Sam Olumekun, INEC’s National Commissioner for Information and Voter Education, said the petition contains signatures from 474,554 registered voters in the district.

However, he pointed out that the covering letter did not include a clear contact address, telephone numbers, or email addresses of all the petitioners’ representatives.

The only address provided was “Okene, Kogi State,” which is not a specific location for correspondence.

Additionally, only one phone number was listed instead of multiple contacts from the petitioners’ representatives.

The petition was led by Charity Omole, a constituent from Kogi Central, who argued that the recall was necessary to ensure proper representation in the Senate.

Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan was suspended from the Senate on March 6 after a dispute with Senate President Godswill Akpabio over seating arrangements.

Her suspension came shortly after she accused Akpabio of sexual harassment.

Olumekun emphasized that any recall process must adhere to the constitutional guidelines, the Electoral Act 2022, and INEC’s 2024 recall regulations.

He said if the petition meets all required conditions, the commission will verify the submitted signatures using the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS).

Both the petitioners and Akpoti-Uduaghan will have the right to nominate agents to observe the verification process.

Accredited media and independent observers will also be allowed to monitor the proceedings.

KanyiDaily had reported how some residents of Kogi Central Senatorial District asked the INEC to begin the process of recalling their representative, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.