The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced the rejection of a petition seeking the recall of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central Senatorial District. According to INEC, the petition failed to meet the requirements outlined in Section 69(a) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended.

Section 69(a) stipulates that for a recall process to be valid, at least half of the registered voters in the senator’s constituency must sign the petition. INEC’s decision suggests that the petition fell short of this threshold, rendering the recall process legally unviable at this stage.

The commission’s statement, posted on its official X handle, did not provide further details on the specific shortcomings of the petition. However, it reaffirmed INEC’s commitment to upholding the integrity of Nigeria’s democratic processes.

This development brings temporary relief to Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, whose tenure has been marked by political controversies and power struggles in Kogi politics. Supporters and opponents of the senator are now awaiting further political manoeuvres following INEC’s decision.