Petition for Natasha Akpoti’s recall didn’t meet requirement – INEC
Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan
Abdullateef Fowewe
The Independent National Electoral Commission claimed the petition seeking to recall the Senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduahan, failed to meet the constitutional requirements.
INEC in a statement issued by its secretary, Rose Oriaran-Anthony, on Thursday, quoted section 69(a) of the 1999 constitution (as amended), which outlines the conditions for recalling a lawmaker, noting that the petition failed to fulfil these requirements.
The statement said, “The petition for the recall of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi central senatorial district, has NOT met the requirement of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended).
“The petition was signed by 208,132 out of 474,554 registered voters in the constituency. This represents 43.86% as against the constitutional requirement of at least 50%+1 persons registered to vote in the constituency.”
However, the commission said it will take no further action on the recall process.
“NO FURTHER ACTION shall be taken on the petition.
“This Public Notice is issued pursuant to the provision of Clause 2(d) of the Regulations and Guidelines for the Recall of a Member of the National Assembly, House of Assembly of a State or Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (2024),” it added.
Dailyeconomy on March 24, 2025, reported that some members of Kogi central constituency submitted a petition to INEC requesting the recall of Natasha.
Charity Omole, a representative of the constituents, said they submitted the petition to recall the senator because the constituency cannot afford not to have a representative in the senate following Natasha’s suspension.
