Natasha’s Recall: INEC Confirms Receipt Of Petitioners’ Contact Address, Other Details Despite Fraudulent Process

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has confirmed the receipt of contact details for petitioners’ representatives seeking to recall Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan despite allegations that the process is fraudulent and politically motivated.

On Tuesday, INEC acknowledged receiving the recall petition but stated that it did not initially meet the requirements. One of the key deficiencies was the absence of the petitioners’ contact addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses.

However, in a statement released on Wednesday, INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information & Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun, confirmed that these missing details have been provided.

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, Olumekun stated.

However, the recall process has been met with strong opposition from the Kogi Central People’s Alliance (KOCEPA), which has described it as deceitful and fraudulent. KOCEPA Coordinator Abdulrazak Baba accused certain political figures of tricking constituents into signing the petition under pretences.

Baba alleged that many residents believed they were attending an empowerment program, only to discover later that they had unwittingly signed documents initiating the recall. He further claimed that the recall attempt was rejected outright in many polling units, wards, and local government areas, with angry community members chasing away the organisers.

Despite these allegations, INEC says it will move forward with the next phase of the recall process—scrutinising the list of signatories to verify if more than 50% of registered voters in Kogi Central have signed the petition, as required by law.

According to Olumekun, this verification process will take place in the coming days, and its outcome will determine the next step. He reassured Nigerians that the exercise would be open and transparent, but concerns remain over the petition’s legitimacy and how signatures were allegedly gathered.

The recall process comes amid political tension surrounding Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan. Recently, the Nigerian Senate suspended her for six months following a report by the Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Code of Conduct. The decision was made during Thursday’s plenary session, presided over by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, whom Akpoti-Uduaghan has accused of sexual harassment and political victimisation.

About The Author

Oluwasegun Sanusi

author

See author's posts