INEC Explains Why Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan’s Recall Bid Was Rejected

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has clarified why the petition to recall Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central, failed to meet constitutional requirements.

In a statement released on Thursday, INEC explained that the petition did not satisfy Section 69(a) of the Nigerian Constitution, which mandates that a recall petition must be backed by more than half of the registered voters in a senator’s constituency.

INEC’s review found that the number of signatures submitted—208,132—was only 43.86% of the required 237,278 signatures from the total 474,554 registered voters in the Kogi Central District. This left the petition short by 29,146 signatories.

As a result, the commission announced that no further action would be taken, emphasizing that the petition failed to meet the legal threshold outlined in the Constitution.

INEC assured the public that the process had been conducted with fairness and transparency, noting that all steps, including notifying the senator and publishing updates on its platforms, had been followed in accordance with its regulations.