The Independent National Electoral Commission INEC on Thursday said the petition to recall the Senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has not met the requirements of the constitution.
INEC, in a tweet on its ‘X’ handle, said, “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)”.
According to the petitioners, over 250,000 constituents signed the petition, out of approximately 480,000 registered voters in the senatorial district. The petition is called ‘Constituents’ Petition for the Recall of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan on Grounds of Loss of Confidence’ and was submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). INEC has verified 208,132 signatures and thumbprints from the recall petition against Senator Natasha. However, this total is 29,146 signatures short of what is needed by law, which means the recall process cannot continue.
Sam Olumekun, the National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information & Voter Education Committee, shared in a statement that the decision was made following their usual weekly meeting on Thursday. The Commission also mentioned that they reviewed and approved the report regarding the physical count of the signatures and thumbprints submitted with the petition to recall Natasha, among other matters.
INEC has committed to addressing the situation with impartiality towards all parties involved, adhering strictly to legal provisions as well as our established Regulations and Guidelines.
“Initially, we verified that the petitioners met all necessary criteria for submitting their petition. Next, we formally notified the Senator targeted for recall in writing, informed the presiding officer of the Senate, and published the notice on our website simultaneously,” the statement explained.
It further elaborated, “Thirdly, we communicated to Nigerians that the subsequent step would involve a thorough verification of the number of signatures/thumbprints to confirm compliance with legal requirements. This process has now been finalized.
“To Emphasise, a petition for the recall of a Senator must adhere to the stipulations of Section 69(a) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), which mandates that signatures from more than half of the registered voters in the constituency are required.
“The total number of registered voters in the Kogi Central Senatorial District stands at 474,554. To meet the requirement, more than half of this number (i.e.237,277+1,), which means at least 237,278 voters, are needed. “Within the 902 Polling Units across 57 Registration Areas and five Local Government Areas that comprise the Senatorial District, the Commission has verified 208,132 signatures/thumbprints submitted by the petitioners. This represents 43.86% of the registered voters, falling short of the constitutional requirement by 29,146 signatures.
“In accordance with Clause 2(d) of the Regulations and Guidelines for Recall 2024, the Commission has issued a Public Notice to this effect, which has also been shared with the presiding officer of the Senate.”
