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.
INEC 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.
However, the electoral umpire, in a statement signed by its National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun, said the petitioners provided their contact information on Wednesday, March 26.
Olumekun stated: “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.”
The INEC official also reassured Nigerians that the process will be open and transparent.
