'Seun Ibukun-Oni, Abuja
DAILY COURIER - The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has flagged procedural deficiencies in the recall petition submitted against Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central Senatorial District. During its regular weekly meeting on Tuesday, March 25, 2025, INEC reviewed the petition, which was accompanied by six bags of documents purportedly containing signatures from over half of the 474,554 registered voters across 902 polling units in the district.
A primary concern highlighted by INEC is the absence of a definitive contact address for the petitioners. The covering letter lists the address merely as "Okene, Kogi State," lacking specific details necessary for correspondence. Additionally, only the lead petitioner's telephone number is provided, whereas Clause 1(f) of INEC's Regulations and Guidelines for Recall 2024 mandates that all representatives' contact information, including telephone numbers and email addresses, be supplied.
INEC emphasized that the recall process is a constitutional mechanism allowing constituents to express a loss of confidence in their elected representative. The commission assured that all petitions would be processed in strict adherence to the legal framework, which includes the 1999 Constitution, the Electoral Act 2022, and INEC's detailed regulations. Upon meeting submission requirements, INEC will initiate a transparent verification process of the signatures, utilizing the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) at each polling unit. Both the petitioners and the senator subject to recall are entitled to nominate agents to observe the verification, alongside accredited observers and media representatives.
To proceed, INEC has urged the petitioners to comply fully with Clause 1(f) by providing a specific contact address and comprehensive contact details of all representatives. In the interim, the commission is exploring alternative means to notify the petitioners of these procedural lapses.
This development follows recent events surrounding Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan. A Federal High Court in Lokoja had earlier issued an interim injunction preventing INEC from processing any recall petition containing fraudulent signatures. The court's order also halted any referendum based on such a petition pending further proceedings. The injunction was sought by registered voters from Kogi Central, citing concerns over the authenticity of the signatures collected.
Furthermore, reports indicate that over 250,000 registered voters from Kogi Central submitted a recall petition against Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, accusing her of "gross misconduct, abuse of office, evasion of due process, and deceitful behavior." The petition was received by INEC's Secretary, Mrs. Rose Oriaran-Anthony, and aligns with Section 69 of the 1999 Constitution and INEC's guidelines for recall petitions.
INEC reassures the public of its commitment to upholding the integrity of the electoral process and urges citizens to disregard any speculative narratives circulating on social media.
