The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has rejected a petition to recall Senator Natasha Akpoti, representing the Kogi Central Senatorial District. The announcement was made after INEC’s regular weekly meeting on Tuesday, March 25, 2025.
According to INEC’s statement, the petition, which included six bags of documents with signatures from over half of the 474,554 registered voters in the district, failed to meet the required legal standards. Specifically, the petitioners did not provide complete contact details for their representatives, as mandated under Clause 1(f) of the Commission’s Regulations and Guidelines for Recall, 2024. The petition only listed a vague address—“Okene, Kogi State”—without specific contact information for the petitioners’ representatives, and only provided a telephone number for the lead petitioner.
INEC emphasized that the recall process is governed by the Constitution, the Electoral Act of 2022, and the Commission’s detailed regulations. Full compliance with the submission requirements is essential before the verification process can begin. This includes using the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) to verify the signatures at each Polling Unit, with both the petitioners and the senator under recall allowed to nominate agents to observe the process.
The Commission also stated that alternative methods would be used to notify the petitioners’ representatives of the situation, reaffirming its commitment to conducting the recall process transparently and within the legal framework. INEC further urged the public to ignore any misinformation or rumors circulating on social media regarding the matter.
The statement from INEC’s National Commissioner & Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun, read in full:
“The Commission held its regular weekly meeting today, Tuesday, March 25, 2025. Among other issues, the meeting discussed the petition for the recall of the Senator representing Kogi Central Senatorial District.
The process of recall is enshrined in the 1999 Constitution, the Electoral Act 2022, and the Commission’s detailed Regulations and Guidelines for Recall 2024, which are available on our website. All petitions will be treated in strict compliance with the legal framework.
The petition from Kogi Central Senatorial District was accompanied by six bags of documents containing signatures from over half of the 474,554 registered voters in 902 Polling Units across 57 Registration Areas in the five Local Government Areas of Adavi, Ajaokuta, Ogori/Magongo, Okehi, and Okene.
The Commission’s immediate observation is that the representatives of the petitioners did not provide the necessary contact details, including address, phone number(s), and email(s), as required by Clause 1(f) of our Regulations and Guidelines. The address provided—’Okene, Kogi State’—is insufficient, and only the lead petitioner’s telephone number was included.
INEC reiterates that the recall of a legislator is the right of registered voters in a constituency who sign a petition expressing a loss of confidence in their representative. Once the petition meets all submission requirements, the Commission will proceed with the signature verification process in an open manner, limited to the registered voters who signed the petition. Both the petitioners and the legislator whose recall is sought can nominate agents to observe the verification process, and the media and other observers will be accredited. The Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) will be used for verification at each Polling Unit.
If the petitioners fully comply with Clause 1(f) of the Regulations and Guidelines, the Commission will announce the next steps in accordance with the law. In the absence of a complete contact address, the Commission is exploring other means to notify the petitioners’ representatives.
The Commission reassures the public that it will adhere strictly to the legal framework for the recall process and urges the public to disregard any speculations or misinformation on social media.”