The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Tuesday, 25th March 2025, convened its regular weekly meeting, during which a significant matter was discussed, the petition for the recall of the Senator representing the Kogi Central Senatorial District.
The right to recall an elected representative is enshrined in the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and further supported by the Electoral Act of 2022.
This process is governed by the Commission’s comprehensive Regulations and Guidelines for Recall (2024), which are accessible on INEC’s official website.
INEC remains committed to processing all petitions in strict accordance with the legal framework, ensuring transparency and fairness.
The petition for the recall of the Kogi Central Senator was submitted with a substantial volume of supporting documents-six large bags, containing purported signatures from over half of the 474,554 registered voters across 902 polling units, within the 57 Registration Areas (Wards) spread across five Local Government Areas: Adavi, Ajaokuta, Ogori/Magongo, Okehi, and Okene.
However, upon an initial review, a critical concern was raised. The petition failed to provide the contact information of the petitioners, a mandatory requirement under Clause 1(f) of the Regulations and Guidelines for Recall.
This omission is significant, as the lack of detailed contact information (such as addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses) complicates the Commission’s ability to engage with the petitioners.
The only address provided, “Okene, Kogi State,” lacks the necessary specificity, and the telephone number of only the “lead petitioner” was included, leaving the remaining representatives unreachable.
In a statement signed by Sam Olumekun, mni, National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, INEC emphasized that the recall process is a constitutional right of registered voters within a constituency.
The Commission is duty-bound to verify the signatures of those who express a lack of confidence in their representative, provided the petition meets the legal requirements.
The verification process will be carried out transparently, in full compliance with the law, and only those voters who signed the petition will be eligible to participate.
Both the petitioners and the legislator whose recall is sought will have the opportunity to appoint agents to observe the process.
Additionally, accredited observers and members of the media will be invited to witness the verification, which will be conducted using the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) at each Polling Unit.
INEC reiterated that if the petitioners comply with the requirements outlined in Clause 1(f) of the Regulations and Guidelines, the Commission will proceed with the next steps as stipulated by the relevant laws and regulations.
However, due to the lack of a clear contact address, INEC is exploring alternative means to notify the petitioners about the current situation.
The Commission assures the public that it will continue to uphold the legal framework guiding the recall process. INEC also urged the public to disregard any misinformation or rumors circulating on social media regarding the matter.
