The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has confirmed receipt of a petition seeking the recall of the Senator representing Kogi Central Senatorial District, citing constitutional procedures but flagging logistical gaps in the submission.
At its weekly meeting today, INEC addressed the petition, which was accompanied by six bags of documents purportedly containing signatures of over half of the 474,554 registered voters across 902 polling units in the district
The petition, however, lacks full compliance with INEC’s regulations, particularly the absence of detailed contact information for the petitioners.
Key Concerns Raised by INEC
- Incomplete Petitioner Details: The covering letter only provided a vague address—”Okene, Kogi State”—and a single telephone number for the lead petitioner, contrary to Clause 1(f) of INEC’s Regulations and Guidelines for Recall 2024, which requires full contact details of all representatives.
- Next Steps Pending Compliance: INEC stated that if the petitioners rectify these omissions, it will proceed with signature verification using the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) in affected polling units. The process will be open to petitioners, the Senator’s agents, observers, and the media.
Recall Process Explained
Under the 1999 Constitution and the Electoral Act 2022, a recall petition must be signed by at least 50% of registered voters in the constituency. INEC’s verification will confirm if the signatures meet this threshold.
INEC’s Assurance
Sam Olumekun, INEC’s National Commissioner for Information and Voter Education, urged the public to disregard social media speculation, affirming that the Commission will strictly follow legal protocols. Efforts are underway to contact the petitioners to address the compliance gaps.
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