INEC Confirms Receipt of Petitioners’ Details in Natasha Recall Case

INEC Confirms Receipt of Petitioners’ Details in Natasha Recall Case

JOEL OLADELE, Abuja

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Wednesday confirmed that it has received the contact addresses, telephone numbers and e-mail addresses of representatives of those who submitted the petition for the recall of Senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.

Recall that  the electoral body had earlier on Tuesday, confirmed that it received the petition to recall Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan but said it did not meet the “requirements” for the action.

INEC had stated that the representatives of the petitioners did not provide their contact address, telephone number(s) and e-mail address(es) in the covering letter forwarding the petition through which they can be contacted as provided in Clause 1 (f) of our Regulations and Guidelines.

However, giving an update in a statement on Wednesday, INEC National Commissioner and Chairman, Information & Voter Education Committee, Professor Sam Olumekun, said the missing details have now been provided in a letter addressed to the Chairman of the Commission dated Wednesday 26th March 2025.

“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 said.

It added that the next step is to scrutinise the list of signatories submitted by the petitioners to ascertain that the petition is signed by more than one half (over 50%) of the registered voters in the Constituency.

This, Olumekun noted, will be done in the coming days, adding that the outcome, which will be made public, shall determine the next step to be taken by the Commission.

The Commission therefore reassured Nigerians that the process will be open and transparent.