The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has dismissed the recall petition against Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, stating that it failed to meet the necessary requirements.
In a statement on Tuesday, March 25, 2025, INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun, said the commission reached its decision during its regular weekly meeting.
Why the Petition Was Rejected
The petition, submitted by voters from Kogi Central Senatorial District, included six bags of documents said to contain signatures from over half of the 474,554 registered voters across:
-
902 Polling Units
-
57 Registration Areas (Wards)
-
Five Local Government Areas (Adavi, Ajaokuta, Ogori/Magongo, Okehi, and Okene)
However, INEC noted that the petition lacked essential details required for verification.
“The representatives of the petitioners did not provide their contact address, telephone numbers, or email addresses as required by Clause 1(f) of INEC’s Regulations and Guidelines,” Olumekun stated.
Instead, the petitioners only listed “Okene, Kogi State” as their address, which is not a specific location for correspondence. Additionally, only one phone number was provided instead of the required contact details for all representatives.
INEC’s Response and Next Steps
Olumekun emphasized that the recall process is entirely voter-driven, and INEC will proceed only if all submission criteria are met.
“If the petition meets the necessary requirements, we will begin signature verification in an open process where only registered voters who signed the petition can participate,” he explained.
During the verification process:
-
BVAS (Bimodal Voter Accreditation System) will be used to confirm each signature.
-
The petitioners and Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan can appoint agents to observe the process.
-
Observers and the media will be accredited to ensure transparency.
INEC assured that if the petitioners comply with the guidelines, the commission will announce the next steps based on electoral laws and regulations.
INEC Urges Public to Ignore Speculations
Meanwhile, INEC stated that it is making efforts to notify the petitioners through other means, given the lack of a clear contact address.
Olumekun urged the public to disregard social media speculations, affirming that INEC will strictly follow legal procedures in handling recall petitions.
