The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Nigeria has confirmed the submission of contact details for the representatives of the petitioners seeking the recall of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents Kogi Central.
In a statement released on Wednesday, INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun, announced that the commission received a letter containing the telephone numbers, email addresses, and other necessary contact information of the petitioners’ representatives.
This update follows an earlier statement by INEC on Tuesday, which highlighted that the petitioners had initially failed to provide their required contact details, including addresses, phone numbers, and emails, as stipulated in the Commission’s Regulations and Guidelines for Recall 2024.
In compliance with these regulations, INEC has now formally notified Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan of the recall petition. The notification letter has been delivered to her official address and shared with the Senate’s presiding officer. Additionally, the document has been published on INEC’s official website for public access.
“The commission hereby confirms that the contact address of representatives of the petitioners, their telephone numbers, and email addresses have now been provided in a letter addressed to the chairman of the commission,” the statement read in part.
INEC stated that the next phase involves verifying the petition’s signatories to ensure that more than 50 percent of registered voters in Kogi Central have endorsed the recall. The commission emphasized that the verification process will be conducted in the coming days, and the outcome will be made public to determine the next steps.
“We once again reassure Nigerians that the process will be open and transparent,” INEC stated.
The recall petition was initiated following Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan’s controversial suspension from the Senate on March 6 for alleged gross misconduct after a dispute with Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
Titled “Constituents’ Petition for the Recall of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan on Grounds of Loss of Confidence,” the petition accuses the senator of gross misconduct, abuse of office, and a pattern of deceit.
