The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared that the petition seeking to recall Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan of Kogi Central failed to meet the necessary requirements for further action.
The petition, which contained six bags of documents with signatures from over half of the district’s 474,554 registered voters, was deemed non-compliant due to missing details.
In a statement on Tuesday, INEC noted that the petition’s covering letter lacked crucial information such as a contact address, telephone numbers, and email addresses of the petitioners’ representatives, thereby violating Clause 1(f) of its recall regulations.
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“The recall process is a fundamental right of registered voters in any constituency,” INEC stated. “However, it must adhere strictly to the legal provisions outlined in the Electoral Act and our regulations.”
Meanwhile, the Senate Committee on Ethics, Code of Conduct, and Public Petitions has dismissed a petition by Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, citing ongoing litigation.
During the hearing on Tuesday, tensions flared between Senator Onyekachi Nwebonyi (APC – Ebonyi South) and former Minister of Education, Dr. Oby Ezekwesili, over the handling of a sexual harassment allegation.
Ezekwesili accused the Senate of failing to take the matter seriously, prompting a heated exchange with Nwebonyi.
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However, the committee ruled that it could not deliberate on the petition since a related case was already before the court.
“The matter is currently being litigated,” the committee ruled. “As such, we cannot proceed with discussions on this petition.”
The case in question involves a lawsuit filed by Dr. Unoma Akpabio, wife of Senate President Godswill Akpabio, against Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan.