The Independent National Electoral Commission INEC on Thursday said it will not take any further action on the petition demanding the recall of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central in the Nigerian Senate.
A national Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education, Sam Olumekun stated this in a signed Press statement on behalf of the electoral body
According to him, after scrutinizing the signatures and thumbprints for the recall, the Commission observed that it did not meet the minimum 50% of registered voters in Kogi Central district.
“Among other issues, the meeting considered and approved the report of its physical count of the signatures/thumbprints forwarded with the petition for the recall of the Senator representing Kogi Central Senatorial District, in line with Clause 2(b) of the Regulations and Guidelines for Recall 2024.”
INEC referred to Section 69(a) of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution as amended, which requires the signatures of more than one-half of the registered voters in the constituency.
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Kogi Central Senatorial District has a total of 474,554 registered voters spread across 902 polling units in 5 Local Government Areas.
But, the signatures and thumbprints submitted for the recall was 208,132 or about 43%, which falls below the 50% figure of at least 237,278 voters
INEC said the implication is that the petition had not met the requirement of Section 69(a) of the Constitution and as such, no further action shall be taken on the recall of the Senator.
(Editor: Ken Eseni)
