The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has confirmed receiving the contact details of the representatives supporting the recall of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents Kogi Central.
Sam Olumekun, INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, provided this update in a statement on Wednesday.
According to him, a letter containing the petitioners’ representatives’ phone numbers, email addresses, and other relevant details was submitted to INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu.
This comes after the commission earlier stated that the petitioners had not provided their contact details, as required by INEC’s 2024 Recall Regulations and Guidelines.
Olumekun further noted that in compliance with its rules, INEC has officially informed Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan of the recall petition.
The notification was sent to her official address, shared with the Senate’s presiding officer, and also published on INEC’s website for public access.
The next step, he explained, involves verifying the list of signatories attached to the petition.
INEC will check whether more than 50 percent of registered voters in Kogi Central have endorsed the recall. The outcome of this verification, which will be made public, will determine the next course of action.
Reassuring the public of its commitment to transparency, the commission stated, “We will examine the submitted list to confirm that over half of the registered voters in the constituency have signed the petition. The results of this process will be made available in the coming days and will inform the next phase of the recall proceedings.”
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan’s recall petition follows her suspension from the Senate on March 6 over allegations of gross misconduct.
The petition, titled “Constituents’ Petition for the Recall of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan on Grounds of Loss of Confidence,” accuses her of misconduct, abuse of office, and dishonesty, prompting the move for her removal.