The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has raised concerns over the recall petition against suspended Kogi Central Senator, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, citing the absence of vital contact details from the petitioners.
In a statement on Tuesday, INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman of Information and Voter Education, Sam Olumekun, confirmed that the commission received six bags of documents containing signatures from more than half of the district’s 474,554 registered voters.
However, the petition lacked crucial information, such as addresses, phone numbers, and email contacts, which are mandatory under INEC’s 2024 Recall Regulations and Guidelines.
The petition, submitted on Monday by Charity Ijese on behalf of some constituents and received by INEC Secretary Rose Oriaran-Anthony, only included the lead petitioner’s phone number.
The address provided—“Okene, Kogi State”—was deemed too vague and did not meet the commission’s requirements.
According to INEC, the recall petition covers five local government areas: Adavi, Ajaokuta, Ogori/Magongo, Okehi, and Okene. It spans 902 polling units across 57 registration areas.
The commission reiterated that the recall process must strictly comply with the 1999 Constitution, the Electoral Act 2022, and INEC’s guidelines before any further steps can be taken.
If the petition is deemed valid, the next stage will involve verifying the collected signatures using the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS).
Only registered voters who signed the petition will be allowed to participate, while both the petitioners and the senator will have the opportunity to appoint representatives to observe the process. Accredited media and election monitors will also be given access to oversee the exercise.
INEC reassured the public of its dedication to due process and transparency while warning against misinformation.
The commission added that it is considering alternative ways to contact the petitioners due to the missing details. Once all legal requirements are met, INEC will provide further updates on the next steps in the recall process.
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