INEC receives petitioners’ contact details, proceeds with Natasha’s recall process

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has confirmed the next steps in the recall process of Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central Senatorial District, following the submission of the required contact details by the petitioners.

In a statement released on Wednesday, INEC acknowledged receiving a letter containing the contact address, telephone numbers, and email addresses of the petitioners’ representatives. This update follows the commission’s earlier observation that the initial petition lacked these details, which are mandatory under Clause 1(f) of the 2024 Regulations and Guidelines for Recall.

Read also: Petition seeking Natasha Akpoti’s recall lacks contact details – INEC

“As provided in Clause 2(a) of the Commission’s Regulations and Guidelines for Recall 2024, a letter has been written to notify the Senator sought to be recalled about the receipt of the petition and delivered to her official address. The same letter has been copied to the presiding officer of the Senate and published on the Commission’s website,” the statement read.

The next step in the process involves scrutinising the list of signatories submitted by the petitioners to verify that it meets the constitutional requirement of having signatures from more than 50% of the registered voters in the constituency. The verification process, according to INEC, will take place in the coming days, with the results made public.

This development follows an earlier petition submitted by constituents demanding Akpoti-Uduaghan’s recall, citing loss of confidence, misconduct, and abuse of office. The petitioners claim to have collected signatures from over half of the 474,554 registered voters across 902 polling units in Adavi, Ajaokuta, Ogori/Magongo, Okehi, and Okene local government areas.

The recall process has also been accompanied by political tensions, particularly in the Senate, where Akpoti-Uduaghan, who has been suspended for six months, recently filed a sexual harassment petition against Senate President Godswill Akpabio.

Read also: How recall works and what will happen to Natasha’s seat if she’s recalled

The case sparked heated exchanges during a Senate hearing on Tuesday, including a verbal altercation between Oby Ezekwesili, former education minister and Senator Onyekachi Nwaebonyi.

INEC has reiterated its commitment to ensuring an open and transparent process, urging the public to disregard speculation and misinformation. The outcome of the signature verification exercise will determine the next phase of the recall process.