The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has acknowledged receiving a petition seeking the recall of the senator representing Kogi Central Senatorial District, but flagged critical omissions that could delay the process.
During its weekly meeting on Tuesday, the Commission reviewed the petition—submitted with six bags of purported signatures from over half of the constituency’s 474,554 registered voters across 902 polling units. However, INEC noted the petitioners failed to provide full contact details as required by law, listing only “Okene, Kogi State” as an address and a single phone number for the lead petitioner.
Legal Framework
The recall process, governed by the 1999 Constitution, the Electoral Act 2022, and INEC’s 2024 Recall Guidelines, mandates strict compliance. Clause 1(f) explicitly requires petitioners to supply contact addresses, phone numbers, and emails for all representatives.
“Without definite contact information, we cannot formally notify the petitioners of the next steps,” an INEC official stated, adding that the Commission is exploring alternative means to reach them.
Next Steps
If the petitioners rectify the gaps, INEC will proceed to verify signatures using the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) in an open process. Only registered voters who signed the petition may participate, with observers—including media and nominee agents—allowed to monitor.
INEC urged the public to disregard social media speculation, reaffirming its commitment to due process. “Recall is the constitutional right of voters, but it must follow the law,” the Commission emphasised.
