ABUJA/Nigeria: The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has dismissed the petition seeking the recall of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central Senatorial District, citing failure to meet constitutional requirements.
In a statement on Thursday, INEC declared that the petition, submitted by a group of constituents, did not satisfy the conditions outlined in Section 69(a) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended). The electoral body had officially received the petition at its headquarters in Abuja on Monday, with INEC Secretary Rose Oriaran-Anthony acknowledging receipt.
The petition, titled “Constituents’ Petition for the Recall of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan on Grounds of Loss of Confidence,” claimed to have secured over 250,000 signatures out of the district’s approximately 480,000 registered voters. However, INEC’s review found the request insufficient to trigger a recall process.
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, currently on suspension for allegedly violating Senate rules, has not publicly responded to the recall attempt. The rejection of the petition effectively halts the recall process, barring any further legal or procedural challenges.
