ENUGU, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)- The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has confirmed receiving a petition to recall Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan but stated that the submission did not meet the necessary requirements for processing.
INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman of Information and Voter Education, Sam Olumekun, disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday.
According to Olumekun, the petition from the Kogi Central Senatorial District was accompanied by six bags of documents containing signatures from “over half of the 474,554 registered voters spread across 902 Polling Units in 57 Registration Areas (Wards) in the five Local Government Areas of Adavi, Ajaokuta, Ogori/Magongo, Okehi, and Okene.”
However, INEC identified key omissions in the petition, particularly the lack of complete contact details for the petitioners.
“Once the petition meets the requirements of submission, as contained in our regulations, the Commission shall commence the verification of the signatures in each Polling Unit in an open process restricted to registered voters that signed the petition only,” Olumekun stated.
READ ALSO: Natasha Seeks Disbarment Of Senate Ethics Chairman
INEC’s immediate observation was that the representatives of the petitioners “did not provide their contact address, telephone number(s), and e-mail address(es) in the covering letter forwarding the petition through which they can be contacted, as provided in Clause 1(f) of our Regulations and Guidelines,” the statement read.
He further noted that the only address given was “Okene, Kogi State”, which is “not a definite location for contacting the petitioners.”
Additionally, only the telephone number of “the lead petitioner” was included, rather than the numbers of all representatives.
INEC reaffirmed that the recall of a legislator is the “prerogative of registered voters in a constituency who sign a petition indicating loss of confidence in the legislator representing them.”
Channels TV reports that the commission assured that once all necessary requirements are met, it will proceed with the verification process, allowing petitioners, the senator in question, observers, and the media to participate.
The recall petition comes shortly after Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan was suspended from the Senate for allegedly violating its rules.
She had previously accused Senate President Godswill Akpabio of sexual harassment, further intensifying the political dispute.
INEC has stated that efforts are underway to notify the petitioners of the missing details and urged the public to disregard any speculations circulating on social media.