JUST IN: INEC Responds to Recall Petition Against Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, Flags Missing Contact Details

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has acknowledged receiving a petition for the recall of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central Senatorial District. In a statement issued on Tuesday, March 25, 2025, after its weekly meeting, the electoral body confirmed that the petition was accompanied by six bags of documents containing signatures purportedly collected from over half of the district’s 474,554 registered voters across five local government areas.

However, INEC flagged a key omission in the submission, noting that the petitioners failed to provide a definite contact address, as required by Clause 1(f) of its *Regulations and Guidelines for Recall 2024*. While the covering letter listed “Okene, Kogi State” as the address, the commission stated that this was insufficient for official communication. Additionally, only one telephone number was provided instead of contact details for all representatives of the petitioners.

INEC reaffirmed that the recall process is a constitutional right of voters who have lost confidence in their elected representative. If the petition meets all legal requirements, the next step will be verification of the submitted signatures using the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS). This verification, INEC stated, will be conducted openly, with petitioners, the affected senator, accredited observers, and the media allowed to witness the process.

The commission emphasized that it would adhere strictly to legal and procedural guidelines, urging the public to disregard speculation and misinformation circulating on social media. In the meantime, efforts are being made to contact the petitioners through alternative means to rectify the missing details before further action is taken.