Daud Olatunji
The Independent National Electoral Commission has rejected the recall petition against the Senator representing Kogi Central Senatorial District, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, stating that the petition failed to meet the constitutional requirement.
In a statement issued on Thursday, April 3, 2025, INEC revealed that after reviewing the signatures and thumbprints submitted by petitioners, the total count stood at 208,132, which represents 43.86% of the 474,554 registered voters in the senatorial district.
The statement said this falls short of the required 237,278 signatures needed for a valid recall, making the petition ineligible for further action under Section 69(a) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
“The Commission had assured Nigerians that it would handle the matter with fairness to the parties involved and in line with the provisions of the law and our Regulations and Guidelines,” said Sam Olumekun, National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information & Voter Education Committee.
“This exercise has now been completed, and the petition has not met the constitutional requirement.
“Therefore, no further action shall be taken on the recall of the Senator.”
INEC explained that the recall process involved multiple stages, including verifying that the petition met submission criteria, notifying the senator involved, informing the Senate leadership, and ensuring the credibility of the submitted signatures.
The Commission noted that details of the verification process, broken down by local government areas, had been published on its website and social media platforms for public scrutiny.
“Across the 902 polling units in the senatorial district, we ascertained the total number of valid signatures, and unfortunately, it did not meet the threshold required by law,” Olumekun added.
“As a result, the process is concluded, and no further steps will be taken.”
The announcement puts an end to the recall attempt against Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, with INEC reiterating its commitment to upholding due process and transparency in electoral matters.
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