In a surprise turn of events, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has reversed its earlier stance on the petition seeking the recall of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central. The Commission has confirmed that the petition is now in compliance with its regulations, following the provision of missing details by the petitioners.¹
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!According to INEC, a notification letter has been sent to Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, informing her of the recall petition. The letter has also been copied to the presiding officer of the Senate and published on INEC’s website for transparency.
The next step in the recall process involves scrutinizing the list of signatories submitted by the petitioners. INEC will verify whether the petition meets the requirement of having over 50% of the registered voters in the senator’s constituency sign the petition. The verification process is expected to take place in the coming days, with INEC assuring Nigerians that the outcome will be made public.
This recall petition comes amid heightened political tensions, particularly after Akpoti-Uduaghan filed a petition against Senate President Godswill Akpabio. The recall attempt is widely seen as a politically motivated response to her stance in the Senate.
However, it’s worth noting that a Federal High Court in Lokoja has issued an interim order preventing INEC from accepting or acting on any recall petition containing fake signatures. The court’s order bars INEC from proceeding with a referendum to initiate Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan’s recall until the case is fully heard.