Petition to Recall Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan Fails

In a statement on Thursday, the electoral commission said the petition did not meet the requirements of the constitution.

“The petition for the recall of the Senator representing the Kogi Central Senatorial District has not met the requirement of Section 69(a) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended),” INEC wrote on its X handle.

INEC cited Section 69(a) of the Constitution, which stipulates that a petition to recall a senator needs the signatures of more than one-half of the registered voters in the lawmaker’s 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,” the statement issued by INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman, Information & Voter Education Committee, Mr Sam Olumekun read in part.

“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.”

The development comes some days after the electoral body rejected the petition to recall the embattled lawmaker, citing missing addresses and other issues.

The petitioners later submitted the missing items, and on March 26, the body confirmed that it has received the contact addresses, telephone numbers and e-mail addresses of representatives of those who submitted the petition for the recall of the suspended senator.

INEC added that the next step was to scrutinise the list of signatories submitted by the petitioners to ascertain that the petition is signed by more than one half (over 50 per cent) of the registered voters in the constituency.

With this, INEC has concluded that the petition has yet to meet all requirements for the recall of Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan as enshrined in amended 1999 constitution.