The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said that the petition seeking to recall the senator representing Kogi central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduahan, did not meet the constitutional provisions.
In a statement on Thursday, INEC cited section 69(a) of the 1999 constitution (as amended), which outlines the conditions for recalling a lawmaker, stressing that the petition failed to fulfil these requirements.
The statement signed by the secretary to the commission, Rose Oriaran-Anthony reads: “The petition for the recall of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi central senatorial district, has NOT met the requirement of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended).
“The petition was signed by 208,132 out of 474,554 registered voters in the constituency. This represents 43.86% as against the constitutional requirement of at least 50%+1 persons registered to vote in the constituency.”
The statement added that no further action on the recall process will be taken.
“NO FURTHER ACTION shall be taken on the petition. This Public Notice is issued pursuant to the provision of Clause 2(d) of the Regulations and Guidelines for the Recall of a Member of the National Assembly, House of Assembly of a State or Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (2024),” the commission explained.
On March 24, some members of Kogi central constituency submitted a petition to INEC requesting the recall of Akpoti-Uduaghan, saying the constituency cannot afford not to have a representative in the senate following her suspension.
INEC, however, said the petitioners did not provide their contact details.
On March 26, the commission said it had notified Akpoti-Uduaghan about the petition by constituents seeking her recall from the national assembly.
INEC said it had also received the contact details of the petitioners.
Akpoti-Uduaghan had during a rally in her senatorial district on Tuesday, accused the electoral body of bias in her recall.
“What I see INEC doing is aiding and guiding petitioners on how to perfect their illicit acts.
“The first time the petition was submitted, they didn’t have address and phone numbers, so INEC went out to guide them on how to submit information that will perfect their petition”, she told her supporters during the rally.
