The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has confirmed that the contact details of the petitioners’ representatives in the recall process of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central, are now available.
Sam Olumekun, the National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, made this announcement in a statement issued on Wednesday. The statement revealed that a letter containing the petitioners’ representatives’ telephone numbers, email addresses, and other contact information was submitted to INEC’s Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, on Wednesday.
This update follows an earlier statement from INEC on Tuesday, which indicated that the petitioners had failed to provide the necessary contact details—such as their addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses—required under the Commission’s Regulations and Guidelines for Recall 2024.
The statement also mentioned that, in line with the Recall 2024 guidelines, INEC had formally notified Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan about the petition, with the letter delivered to her official address. A copy of the letter has been sent to the presiding officer of the Senate and published on the INEC website for public access.
“Further to the statement issued yesterday, Tuesday, March 25, 2025, the Commission confirms that the contact details of the petitioners’ representatives have now been provided in a letter to the Chairman, dated today, March 26, 2025,” Olumekun stated. “As required by Clause 2(a) of the Commission’s Regulations and Guidelines for Recall 2024, a letter has also been sent to the Senator notifying her about the receipt of the petition. This letter has been delivered to her official address and shared with the presiding officer of the Senate.”
The next phase of the process will involve verifying that the petition has been endorsed by more than 50 percent of registered voters in the Kogi Central Constituency. INEC will examine the list of signatories provided by the petitioners, with the results to be made public soon. This verification will determine the subsequent steps in the recall process.
INEC reiterated its commitment to transparency, emphasizing that the process would remain open and accessible to the public.
“The next step is to scrutinize the list of signatories to confirm that the petition is supported by over 50 percent of registered voters in the Constituency. The results, which will be made public, will guide the next steps in the process,” the statement concluded.
The recall petition follows a series of controversies surrounding Akpoti-Uduaghan, who was suspended from the Senate on March 6 for alleged “gross misconduct” after a dispute with Senate President Godswill Akpabio. The petition, titled “Constituents’ Petition for the Recall of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan on Grounds of Loss of Confidence,” accuses her of misconduct, abuse of office, and deceit.
