On Thursday, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) dismissed the petition seeking the recall of Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, the lawmaker representing Kogi Central senatorial district.
In a statement, the Commission explained that the petition failed to meet the necessary requirements for recalling a Federal Republic of Nigeria senator.
The Commission’s secretary, Rose Oriaran-Anthony, received the recall petition submitted at INEC’s headquarters in Abuja on Monday.
Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central, is currently suspended for allegedly violating Senate rules.
0VER 250,000 CONSTITUENTS SIGNATURES
According to the petitioners, over 250,000 constituents signed the petition out of approximately 480,000 registered voters in the senatorial district. The petition was titled “Constituents’ Petition for the Recall of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan on Grounds of Loss of Confidence.”
INEC confirmed that it verified 208,132 signatures and thumbprints from the recall petition but noted that this figure falls short of the constitutional requirement by 29,146 signatures. As a result, the recall process will not proceed.
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INEC OFFICIAL STATEMENT
In a statement released by Sam Olumekun, the National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information & Voter Education Committee, INEC stated that the decision was made following its regular weekly meeting on Thursday.
The Commission further noted that it reviewed and approved the report of its physical verification of the signatures and thumbprints attached to the recall petition.
INEC reiterated its commitment to handling the matter with fairness and in accordance with legal provisions, regulations, and guidelines.
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“First, we ensured that the petitioners complied with the requirements for the submission of the petition. Secondly, we notified the member sought to be recalled in writing, copied the presiding officer of the Senate and simultaneously published the notice on our website,” the statement said.
It continued, “Thirdly, we informed Nigerians that the next step would be to carefully ascertain the number of signatures/thumbprints to ensure that the petition complies with the requirement of the law. This exercise has now been completed.
“For emphasis, a petition for the recall of a Senator must comply with the provision of Section 69(a) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) which requires the signatures of more than one-half of the registered voters in the constituency.
“The total number of registered voters in the Kogi Central Senatorial District is 474,554. More than one-half of this figure (i.e. 50%+1) is 237,277+1, which is at least 237,278 voters.
“Across the 902 Polling Units in 57 Registration Areas and five Local Government Areas that make up the Senatorial District, the Commission ascertained 208,132 signatures/thumbprints from the submission made by the petitioners. This translates to 43.86% of the registered voters which falls short of the constitutional requirement by 29,146 signatories.
“Consequently, the petition has not met the requirement of Section 69(a) of the Constitution. Therefore, no further action shall be taken on the recall of the Senator.
“In line with the provision of Clause 2(d) of the Regulations and Guidelines for Recall 2024, the Commission has issued a Public Notice to that effect which is also copied to the presiding officer of the Senate.
“The Public Notice, along with a summary of the review of the signatures/thumbprints of the petitioners, which are disaggregated by Local Government Areas, are available on our website and social media platforms for public information.”
