JUST IN: Constituents Submit Petition to INEC, Move to Recall Enugu Rep Martins Oke

Voters in the Igbo-Etiti/Uzo-Uwani Federal Constituency of Enugu State have officially begun the process to recall their representative in the House of Representatives, Hon. Martins Oke.

A petition dated March 27, 2025, and addressed to the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) outlines the reasons for the recall. The petition, signed by Mr. Ugwuagbo Emmanuel Chizoba, Mr. Clinton Ogbonna, Mr. Sabinus Amah, and Mr. Stephen Okenwa, accuses Oke of non-performance and a lack of representation.

The petitioners argue that despite serving three terms in the House, Oke has failed to sponsor any significant bills or motions. They claim he has no visible constituency projects and does not participate in National Assembly sessions or public discourse. According to them, he is absent from local, state, and national matters, making him unfit to continue representing the constituency.

The petition also alleges that Oke was not genuinely elected by the people but was imposed as a candidate by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) against the wishes of party members. They further claim he lost the general election by a wide margin but secured victory through an Appeal Court decision based on technicalities.

Additionally, the lawmaker is accused of lacking a functional constituency office and failing to engage with his constituents. The petition states that he has never held a town hall meeting and remains disconnected from the people. Constituents say he is rarely seen in the community, on television, or even present during National Assembly sessions.

The petition, which reportedly meets the constitutional requirement of being signed by at least 50% of registered voters in the constituency, marks the first step in the recall process. The next phase will involve INEC’s verification of the signatures and further procedural steps as outlined by the law.