INEC: Natasha’s constituents submit contact details, as commission notifies recall petition

 

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has confirmed receiving the contact details of petitioners in the petition for the recall of the suspended Senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.

This is coming after the electoral umpire had, on Tuesday, March 25, 2025, said the petitioners failed to provide the necessary contact information, such as their addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses, as required under the Commission’s Regulations and Guidelines for Recall 2024.

But, National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun, who gave the update, said the petitioners provided their contact information on Wednesday, March 26.

“Further to the statement issued yesterday, Tuesday 25th March 2025, the Commission hereby confirms that the contact address of representatives of the petitioners, their telephone numbers and e-mail addresses have now been provided in a letter addressed to the Chairman of the Commission dated today Wednesday 26th March 2025.

“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.

“The next step is to scrutinise the list of signatories submitted by the petitioners to ascertain that the petition is signed by more than one half (over 50%) of the registered voters in the Constituency. This will be done in the coming days. The outcome, which will be made public, shall determine the next step to be taken by the Commission.”

Olumekun further assured Nigerians that the process will be open and transparent.

Meanwhile, the commission has notified the embattled female senator of the petition seeking her recall from the Senate.

INEC Secretary, Mrs Rose Oriaran Anthony, in a letter dated Wednesday, March 26, 2025, said the exercise was in line with Section 60 of the Nigerian Constitution.

She added that the presiding officer of the Senate had been notified of the petition and simultaneously published on the commission's website.