The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has officially received a petition for the recall of Senator Natasha, who represents the Kogi Central Senatorial District. This announcement was made during the Commission’s regular weekly meeting held today.
The recall process is outlined in the 1999 Constitution and the Electoral Act 2022, along with specific regulations provided by INEC. According to reports, the petition includes six bags of documents claiming to contain signatures from over half of the 474,554 registered voters across 902 polling units in the five local government areas: Adavi, Ajaokuta, Ogori/Magongo, Okehi, and Okene.
However, INEC noted that the petitioners did not provide complete contact information in their submission, as required by Clause 1(f) of their Regulations and Guidelines. The only contact information available is a telephone number for the lead petitioner, with the address listed as “Okene, Kogi State,” which lacks specificity for further communication.
INEC emphasized that the power to initiate a recall process lies with the registered voters in the constituency who express their loss of confidence in their elected representative. Once the petition meets the necessary criteria, the Commission will begin the verification of signatures at each polling unit. This process will be open and limited to registered voters who signed the petition, while the petitioners and Senator Natasha can nominate agents to observe the verification.
The Commission reiterated its commitment to following the legal framework for the recall process and urged the public to disregard any speculation or rumors circulating on social media regarding the petition for the recall of Senator Natasha. They intend to work on notifying the petitioners about their petition status through alternative means due to incomplete contact information.
This development marks a significant step in the political landscape of Kogi Central Senatorial District as the recall process unfolds.
