The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has raised concerns over key omissions in the petition seeking to recall Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents Kogi Central Senatorial District.
In a statement issued on Tuesday by Sam Olumekun, INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, the commission confirmed that it had received the petition and convened a meeting to discuss the matter. However, it highlighted several procedural shortcomings that could delay the process.
According to INEC, the petition was submitted with “six bags of documents said to be signatures collected from over half of the 474,554 registered voters spread across 902 polling units in 57 registration areas (wards) within Adavi, Ajaokuta, Ogori/Magongo, Okehi, and Okene local government areas.”
Missing Contact Details a Major Setback
A critical flaw in the submission was the failure to provide proper contact details for the petitioners. INEC noted that “the representatives of the petitioners did not provide their contact address, telephone number(s), and e-mail address(es) in the covering letter forwarding the petition,” as required by Clause 1(f) of its Regulations and Guidelines for Recall 2024.
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The address provided was simply “Okene, Kogi State,” which INEC described as inadequate for official correspondence. Additionally, the petition only included a phone number for “the lead petitioner,” instead of contact details for all representatives, further complicating communication.
INEC’s Next Steps and Legal Compliance
INEC reaffirmed that any recall process must strictly follow the legal framework outlined in the 1999 Constitution, the Electoral Act 2022, and its own regulations. The commission stressed that “the recall of a legislator is the prerogative of registered voters in a constituency who sign a petition indicating loss of confidence in their representative.”
Before proceeding, INEC must verify that the petition meets the submission requirements. If deemed valid, the next step would involve signature verification using the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) in an open process restricted to signatories. Both the petitioners and Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan would have the right to appoint agents to observe the verification, alongside accredited media and independent observers.
Uncertain Path Forward
While INEC acknowledged the petition, it made it clear that the lack of proper contact information could hinder further action. The commission stated that “in the absence of a definite contact address, the Commission is making efforts to use other means to notify the representatives of the petitioners of the situation.”
Until the petitioners rectify these deficiencies, the recall process remains in limbo, raising questions about the credibility and organization of the recall effort.