The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared that the petition seeking to recall Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents Kogi Central, has failed to meet the constitutional requirements.

The commission made this known in a brief notice posted on its official X (formerly Twitter) account.

“The petition for the recall of the Senator representing Kogi Central Senatorial District has not met the requirement of Section 69(a) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended),” the statement read.

The national electoral body added: “The total number of registered voters in the Kogi Central Senatorial District is 474,554. More than one-half of this figure (i.e. 50%+1) is 237,277+1, which is at least 237,278 voters,” the statement issued by INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman, Information & Voter Education Committee Sam Olumekun read in part.

“Across the 902 Polling Units in 57 Registration Areas and five Local Government Areas that make up the Senatorial District, the Commission ascertained 208,132 signatures/thumbprints from the submission made by the petitioners,” INEC stated.

A group of registered voters from Akpoti-Uduaghan’s senatorial district had, on 24 March, submitted a petition urging INEC to initiate the process of her recall from the Senate.

The petition, signed by the lead petitioner, Salihu Habib, and submitted at INEC headquarters, expressed the constituents’ loss of confidence in Akpoti-Uduaghan’s representation in the National Assembly.

On 25 March, INEC confirmed receipt of the petition, which was accompanied by six bags of documents purportedly containing signatures from more than half of the 474,554 registered voters in the senatorial district.

The commission also disclosed that it had formally notified the senator of the recall petition against her.