The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has confirmed receipt of a petition seeking the recall of the Senator representing Kogi Central Senatorial District but flagged critical compliance gaps that may stall the process.
The electoral body disclosed this in a press statement issued on Thursday by Sam Olumekun, National Commissioner and Chairman of INEC’s Information and Voter Education Committee. The statement followed the Commission’s weekly meeting on Tuesday, where the petition was reviewed.
INEC reiterated that the recall of a lawmaker is a constitutional right of registered voters, governed by the 1999 Constitution (as amended), the Electoral Act 2022, and INEC’s Regulations and Guidelines for Recall (2024).
The petition, submitted with six bags of documents, claims to bear signatures of over 50% of the 474,554 registered voters across 902 Polling Units in the five Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Kogi Central: Adavi, Ajaokuta, Ogori/Magongo, Okehi, and Okene.
However, the Commission identified key deficiencies in the petition’s submission:
- The petitioners failed to provide complete contact details(address, phone numbers, and email) as required under Clause 1(f) of INEC’s Guidelines.
- Only the lead petitioner’s phone number was provided, while others were omitted.
- The listed address was simply "Okene, Kogi State," which INEC deemed insufficient for official communication.
If the petitioners rectify these gaps, INEC will proceed with signature verification using the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS). The exercise will be conducted publicly in each Polling Unit, restricted to only registered voters who signed the petition.
The affected Senator and petitioners may nominate agents to observe the process, while media and accredited observers will also be allowed.
Due to the incomplete contact information, INEC stated that it is exploring alternative channels to notify the petitioners of the deficiencies.
Olumekun reassured the public that INEC remains neutral and law-abiding, urging Nigerians to disregard social media speculation.
"The recall process is strictly voter-driven, and INEC will ensure full compliance with legal provisions," he stated.
No timeline has been set for the verification exercise, but INEC pledged to provide updates once the petitioners meet all requirements.
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