THE Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has ruled that the petition seeking to recall Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, the representative of Kogi Central Senatorial District has failed to meet constitutional requirements.
Following a physical count of the signatures and thumbprints submitted, INEC determined that the petition did not have enough valid signatories to trigger a recall process, as stipulated in Section 69(a) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
In a statement issued on Thursday, April 3, 2025, after its weekly meeting, INEC disclosed that Kogi Central has 474,554 registered voters. For a recall petition to be valid, it must be signed by more than half of this number, at least 237,278 voters. However, after verification, only 208,132 signatures were confirmed, representing 43.86 per cent of registered voters. This figure fell short by 29,146 signatures, rendering the petition invalid.
“For emphasis, a petition for the recall of a Senator must comply with the provision of Section 69(a) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), which requires the signatures of more than one-half of the registered voters in the constituency. The total number of registered voters in the Kogi Central Senatorial District is 474,554. More than one-half of this figure (i.e., 50 per cent+1) is 237,277+1, which is at least 237,278 voters.
“Across the 902 Polling Units in 57 Registration Areas and five Local Government Areas that make up the Senatorial District, the Commission ascertained 208,132 signatures/thumbprints from the submission made by the petitioners. This translates to 43.86 per cent of the registered voters which falls short of the constitutional requirement by 29,146 signatories,” the statement added.
INEC emphasised that the petition was reviewed in line with its 2024 Regulations and Guidelines for Recall, ensuring due process and fairness.
With the petition failing to meet the constitutional requirement, INEC stated that no further action would be taken regarding the senator’s recall.
“Consequently, the petition has not met the requirement of Section 69(a) of the Constitution. Therefore, no further action shall be taken on the recall of the Senator,” INEC said.
It further noted that public notice has been issued by Clause 2(d) of the 2024 Recall Regulations, with the summary of the verification process made available on INEC’s official website and social media platforms.
The recall petition, submitted by a group identified as Concerned Kogi Youth and Women, was presented to INEC’s headquarters in Abuja on March 24, 2025.
It alleged that Akpoti-Uduaghan had engaged in misconduct, abused her office, and displayed a pattern of deceitful behaviour that embarrassed the constituents and the Senate.
The petitioners claimed to have secured signatures from over half of the district’s registered voters, but INEC’s verification process proved otherwise.
With the recall attempt now officially dismissed, Akpoti-Uduaghan will continue to represent Kogi Central in the Senate.
Read how to recall your representative HERE.
Want to recall your lawmaker? Here’s how to do it in Nigeria
Mustapha Usman is an investigative journalist with the International Centre for Investigative Reporting. You can easily reach him via: musman@icirnigeria.com. He tweets @UsmanMustapha_M
Nanji is an investigative journalist with the ICIR. She has years of experience in reporting and broadcasting human angle stories, gender inequalities, minority stories, and human rights issues.