posted 25th March 2025
INEC Raises Concerns Over Missing Contact Details in Petition to Recall Kogi Central Senator
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has revealed that representatives of petitioners seeking the recall of Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, the senator representing Kogi Central, failed to provide adequate contact details in their submission. The petition, lodged on Monday, included six bags of documents containing signatures from 474,554 registered voters in the district, according to Sam Olumekun, INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee.
In a statement, Olumekun noted that while the petition was accompanied by a covering letter, it lacked essential information such as the representatives’ telephone numbers, email addresses, and a specific contact address. “The address given is ‘Okene, Kogi State’, which is not a definite location for contacting the petitioners,” he said. “Only the telephone number of ‘the lead petitioner’ is provided, as opposed to the numbers of all the other representatives.”
The recall effort follows Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension from the Senate on 6 March for “gross misconduct” after a heated altercation with Senate President Godswill Akpabio over a seating arrangement. The suspension came shortly after the senator accused Akpabio of sexually harassing her, intensifying tensions within the legislative chamber.
On Monday, a group of Kogi Central constituents submitted the recall petition to INEC, with Charity Omole speaking on their behalf. Omole argued that the move was necessary to ensure the district remains properly represented in the Senate, warning that Kogi Central “cannot afford a legislative vacuum.”
Olumekun explained that the recall process is governed by the 1999 Constitution, the Electoral Act 2022, and INEC’s Regulations and Guidelines for Recall 2024. He outlined that, provided the petition meets submission requirements, the commission will proceed with verifying the signatures using the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) at polling units. Both the petitioners and Akpoti-Uduaghan will be allowed to nominate agents to monitor the verification process, alongside accredited media and observers.
“Consequently, if the petitioners fully comply with the requirements of Clause 1(f) of the Regulations and Guidelines regarding the submission of their petition, the Commission will announce the next steps in line with the extant laws,” Olumekun said. However, he added that the absence of clear contact details has complicated efforts to communicate with the petitioners. “The Commission is making efforts to use other means to notify the representatives of the situation,” he assured.
INEC reiterated its commitment to adhering to the legal framework governing recalls, promising Nigerians a transparent and lawful process. For now, the commission’s next steps hinge on whether the petitioners can address the gaps in their submission, as the recall bid hangs in the balance.
