Nigeria’s electoral commission has cast doubt on a petition seeking the recall of a senator, citing a “critical flaw” in the paperwork. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) confirmed it received six bags of documents, purportedly containing signatures from over half of the 474,554 registered voters in Kogi Central Senatorial District.
These signatures aimed to trigger the recall of Senator Natasha Akpoti. However, INEC National Commissioner, Sam Olumekun, revealed in a statement released Tuesday that the petition lacked crucial contact information. The petitioners failed to provide a specific address and contact details for all representatives, as required by INEC’s regulations. The address given was simply “Okene, Kogi State,” and only one telephone number was supplied for the “lead petitioner.””The Commission’s immediate observation is that the representatives of the petitioners did not provide their contact address, telephone number(s) and e-mail address(es) in the covering letter forwarding the petition through which they can be contacted as provided in Clause 1(f) of our Regulations and Guidelines,” Olumekun stated.
This procedural error could potentially derail the recall process, which is enshrined in Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution and the Electoral Act 2022. INEC emphasized that the recall process is initiated by registered voters who demonstrate a loss of confidence in their elected representative. Once a petition meets the required standards, the commission conducts a signature verification process at each polling unit, using the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS). This process is open to agents from both the petitioners and the senator, as well as accredited observers and media. Mr. Olumekun stated that if the petitioners rectify the contact information issue, INEC will proceed with the verification process according to established laws and guidelines. In the interim, the commission is attempting to reach the petitioners through alternative means. “The Commission reassures the public that it will be guided by the legal framework for recall,” Mr. Olumekun added, urging the public to disregard social media speculation.
The fate of the senator’s recall now hangs in the balance, pending the petitioners’ response to INEC’s request.
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