The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says the petition seeking to recall Natasha Akpoti-Uduahan, senator representing Kogi central, failed to meet the constitutional threshold.
In a statement on Thursday, INEC cited section 69(a) of the
1999 Constitution (as amended), which outlines the conditions for recalling a
lawmaker, noting that the petition failed to fulfill these requirements.
On March 24, some members of Kogi central constituency
submitted a petition to INEC requesting the recall of Akpoti-Uduaghan, senator
representing the district.
Charity Omole, a representative of the constituents, said
they submitted the petition to recall the senator because the constituency
cannot afford not to have a representative in the senate following her
suspension.
“We have come to recall her so that we can have a
representative in the senate. We are here to tell lNEC to please follow the
constitutional process for a recall so that a recall process can begin,” Omole
said.
“We submitted the petition and it has been received. All
other documents have been received.
“We are the ones that voted her and we don’t want her
anymore because we cannot afford not to have a representative. Nobody is
bankrolling us. Nobody is having any personal issue with her. It is just what
it is. The game is the game.”
The representative said there are 488,000 registered voters
in Kogi central, out of which more than 250,000 have signed the recall
petition.
INEC, however, said the petitioners did not provide their
contact details.
On March 26, INEC said it had notified Akpoti-Uduaghan about
the petition by constituents seeking her recall from the national assembly.
INEC said it had also received the contact details of the
petitioners.
Speaking at her homecoming rally on Tuesday, Akpoti-Uduaghan
accused the electoral body of bias in her recall.
“What I see INEC doing is aiding and guiding petitioners on
how to perfect their illicit acts,” she said.
“The first time the petition was submitted, they didn’t have
address and phone numbers, so INEC went out to guide them on how to submit
information that will perfect their petition.
“And what did they do? The petitioners, who were from the
other party, the APC, submitted a letterhead. What was the name of it? Kogi
Central Political Frontier. And the address there was number 4, Oboroke.”
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