Political bombshell! INEC begins move to recall Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan

By Kazeem Ugbodaga

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has confirmed that it is moving forward with the recall process of the Senator representing Kogi Central Senatorial District, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.

This follows the submission of required contact details by the petitioners.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, March 26, 2025, and signed by Sam Olumekun, National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information & Voter Education Committee, INEC stated that a letter has been sent to Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan  to formally notify her of the petition.

He said the same letter has also been copied to the presiding officer of the Senate and published on the Commission’s website.

“The next step is to scrutinise the list of signatories submitted by the petitioners to ascertain that the petition is signed by more than one half (over 50%) of the registered voters in the Constituency.

“This will be done in the coming days. The outcome, which will be made public, shall determine the next step to be taken by the Commission,” Olumekun said.

INEC reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring an open and transparent process, urging Nigerians to remain patient as the verification of signatures progresses.

The recall process, a rare political development in Nigeria, requires that more than 50% of registered voters in the affected senatorial district sign the petition for it to move to the next stage, which includes a referendum.

The outcome of INEC’s verification will determine whether the recall process advances or is halted due to insufficient support.