The Independent National Election Commission (INEC) rejected a recall petition from Senator Natasha Akpoti, who represents Kogi’s Central Senate.
The Commission made the announcement after a regular weekly meeting on Tuesday, March 25, 2025.
According to an INEC statement, the petition was filed with six bags of documents that contained more than half of the 474,554 registered voters in the region but did not meet the necessary legal requirements. The petitioner failed to provide the petitioner’s representative with a complete contact information, which is required by Article 1 (f) of the Commission’s Regulations, Guidelines for recalls, 2024. The petition lists only a vague address, “Okene, Kogi state, Kogi state, Kogi state, Kogi state”, there is no representative of the petitioner, and only a telephone number for the leading petitioner was provided.
INEC stressed that the recall process is governed by the Constitution, the Election Act 2022 and the Commission’s detailed regulations. Under these regulations, the Commission requires full compliance with submission requirements before proceeding with the verification process. This includes verifying the petitioner’s signature using the BBVA system (BVA) of each voting unit and having the opportunity for petitioners and senators to recall the opportunity to nominate agents to observe the verification process.
The Committee further noted that it would use an alternative approach to notify the representatives of the situation of the petitioner’s representatives and remain committed to conducting the recall process transparently within the legal framework. INEC also urged the public to ignore any misinformation or rumors about the matter on social media.
Statement issued by INEC National Commissioner and Chairman Information and Voters Education Committee, Sam Olumekun read in full;
“The committee held regular weekly meetings on Tuesday, March 25, 2025. Among other issues, the meeting discussed the petition for the recall of senators representing the Senate District of Kogi Central Senate.
The recall process lists our website in the 1999 Constitution, the 2022 Election Act, as well as the Commission’s detailed regulations and the 2024 Guidelines for recalling. All petitions will strictly comply with the legal framework.
The petition for the Central Senate District of Kogi is accompanied by six bags of documents, which is said to be a signature collected from 474,554 registered voters of 902 voting units (WARDS) of 57 Registration Zones (WARDS), which is signed, ogori/Magono/Magono/Magono, Okeene, Okee, Okeen and Ok.
The committee’s direct observation is that the representative of the petitioner did not provide his contact address, telephone number and email address in the cover letter to forward the petition and provided in accordance with section 1 (f) of our regulations and guidelines. The address given is “Okene, Kogi State”, which is not a definite location to contact the petitioner. Only the number of “primary petitioners” is provided, not the number of other representatives of the petitioners.
The Commission wishes to reiterate that the recall of legislators is a privilege for registered voters in a constituency who signed a petition indicating a loss of confidence in legislators representing them. Once the petition meets the submission requirements contained in our regulations, the committee shall begin verification of the signatures in each voting unit in a public process, limited to registered voters who sign the petition only. Petitioners and members seeking recalls should be freely nominated for agents to observe and verify, while interested observers and media will also be recognized. In each voting unit, the signers of the petition should be verified using the BBVA.
Therefore, if the petitioner fully complies with the requirements of Article 1 (f) of the Regulations and the guidance on submitting the petition, the Committee will declare the next step in the existing laws, regulations and guidelines. In the absence of a defined contact address, the Committee is working to use other means to notify representatives of the situation.
The Commission assured the public that it will be guided by the recalled legal framework. Therefore, the public should discount any speculation and hints on social media. ”
