The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Nigeria has raised concerns over the recall petition against the suspended Senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, citing a lack of crucial contact details.
In a statement on Tuesday, INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun, confirmed that the commission received the petition, which included six bags of documents containing signatures from more than half of the 474,554 registered voters in the senatorial district.
However, INEC noted that the petitioners failed to provide required contact information, including addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses, as stipulated in its Regulations and Guidelines for Recall 2024. The petition, submitted by Charity Ijese on behalf of the constituents and received by INEC Secretary Rose Oriaran-Anthony, listed only a single phone number for the lead petitioner and a vague address, “Okene, Kogi State,” which does not meet the commission’s requirements.
“The commission’s immediate observation is that the representatives of the petitioners did not provide their contact address, telephone number(s), and email address(es) in the covering letter forwarding the petition, as required under Clause 1(f) of our regulations and guidelines,” the statement read.
The recall petition, which originates from voters across five local government areas—Adavi, Ajaokuta, Ogori/Magongo, Okehi, and Okene—spans 902 polling units in 57 registration areas.
INEC assured that the recall process, which is governed by the 1999 Constitution, the Electoral Act 2022, and its own regulations, will proceed once all legal requirements are met. If validated, a verification exercise will be conducted at each polling unit, restricted to registered voters who signed the petition. The commission emphasized that both the petitioners and the senator facing recall would have the right to nominate agents to observe the process.
Verification will be carried out using the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), with media and independent observers also allowed to monitor proceedings.
The recall effort follows Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension from the Senate on March 6 for alleged gross misconduct, a move that has been surrounded by controversy. The petition, titled “Constituents’ Petition for the Recall of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan on Grounds of Loss of Confidence,” accuses her of abuse of office and deception.
INEC urged the public to disregard any speculations circulating on social media and reiterated its commitment to ensuring that the process follows due process. It also stated that it is working on alternative means to notify the petitioners of the missing information.
“The commission reassures the public that it will be guided by the legal framework for recall,” the statement concluded.
