The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has clarified the reasons for rejecting the petition to recall Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.
The commission previously stated that the petition did not satisfy the constitutional requirement of obtaining signatures from over half of the registered voters in Kogi Central Senatorial District.
In a statement released on Thursday, INEC reported that a physical count of the submitted signatures and thumbprints verified only 208,132 signatures, which represents 43.86% of the 474,554 registered voters in the district.
This number falls short of the 237,278 signatures required, resulting in a deficit of 29,146.
The statement, signed by Sam Olumekun, National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information & Voter Education Committee, explained: “To reiterate, a petition for the recall of a Senator must adhere to the provisions of Section 69(a) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), which mandates signatures from more than half of the registered voters in the constituency.
“The total number of registered voters in the Kogi Central Senatorial District is 474,554. More than half of this figure (i.e. 50% + 1) is 237,278 voters.
“Throughout the 902 Polling Units across 57 Registration Areas and five Local Government Areas that constitute the Senatorial District, the Commission verified 208,132 signatures/thumbprints from the petitioners’ submission. This equates to 43.86% of the registered voters, which is 29,146 signatures short of the constitutional requirement.
“Thus, the petition does not fulfil the criteria set out in Section 69(a) of the Constitution. Consequently, no further action will be taken regarding the Senator’s recall.
“In accordance with Clause 2(d) of the Regulations and Guidelines for Recall 2024, the Commission has issued a Public Notice to this effect, which is also forwarded to the presiding officer of the Senate.
“The Public Notice, along with a detailed summary of the review of the signatures/thumbprints submitted by the petitioners, disaggregated by Local Government Areas, is available on our website and social media platforms for public access.”
This announcement marks the official collapse of the effort to remove Akpoti-Uduaghan from the Senate. INEC has also published a public notice confirming its decision, along with a detailed breakdown of the rejected petition on its website.
The failed recall attempt has heightened political tensions in Kogi State, with allegations suggesting that the effort was orchestrated by factions loyal to former Governor Yahaya Bello, a known adversary of Akpoti-Uduaghan.
The senator has been outspoken in her criticism of the former governor’s administration, fuelling speculation that the recall attempt was politically motivated.
Reports have emerged claiming that some voters were misled into signing the petition under false pretences, believing it was part of an empowerment programme.
Additionally, a Federal High Court in Lokoja previously issued an injunction preventing INEC from proceeding with the recall process, citing allegations of fraudulent signatures.
The case is scheduled for hearing on May 6, 2025; however, with INEC’s recent decision, the relevance of the matter may diminish.
