The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has responded to the petition seeking the recall of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central Senatorial District, by urging the petitioners to comply with its guidelines.
The electoral body emphasized that the recall process is governed by constitutional provisions, electoral laws, and INEC’s own regulations.
In a statement issued on Tuesday by Sam Olumekun, INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, the Commission acknowledged the receipt of the recall petition.
However, it pointed out that the petitioners had failed to provide essential contact details, a requirement outlined in Clause 1(f) of the Regulations and Guidelines for Recall 2024.
The petition, submitted by representatives from Kogi Central, was accompanied by six bags of documents purportedly containing the signatures of over half of the 474,554 registered voters in the senatorial district. These signatures were collected from 902 polling units across five local government areas: Adavi, Ajaokuta, Ogori/Magongo, Okehi, and Okene.
Despite the volume of documents submitted, INEC noted a critical shortcoming—the covering letter did not include a definite contact address or the required multiple telephone numbers and email addresses of the petitioners’ representatives.
Instead, only the lead petitioner’s phone number was provided, with “Okene, Kogi State” listed as the contact address, which INEC deemed insufficient.
INEC reiterated that the recall of an elected legislator is solely the prerogative of the registered voters in the constituency. It assured that, once all submission requirements are met, it will proceed with verifying the collected signatures in a transparent manner.
The Commission outlined that the verification exercise would be conducted at each polling unit, where only registered voters who signed the petition would be allowed to participate. The process will involve the use of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) for authentication.
Additionally, both the petitioners and the lawmaker facing recall will be permitted to deploy agents to observe the verification, alongside accredited media and independent observers.
INEC has called on the petitioners to rectify the identified deficiencies in their submission. Specifically, they must provide a definite contact address and ensure that all representatives of the petitioners are reachable through multiple verified means. Until these requirements are met, the Commission will not proceed with the next phase of the recall process.
However, in the absence of a direct contact address, INEC disclosed that it is making efforts to reach out to the petitioners through alternative channels to notify them of the need for compliance.
INEC also urged the public to disregard misinformation and speculations circulating on social media regarding the recall process. The Commission assured that it remains committed to upholding the rule of law and will adhere strictly to constitutional provisions and established guidelines in handling the recall petition.
