In a follow-up to its earlier announcement, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has provided further details on the outcome of the petition seeking the recall of the Senator representing Kogi Central Senatorial District. Following a comprehensive review, INEC has confirmed that the recall petition did not meet the constitutional requirements, thereby rendering the process ineffective.
INEC’s Review and Findings.
During its regular weekly meeting on Thursday, April 3, 2025, INEC considered and approved the report of its physical count of signatures and thumbprints submitted with the recall petition. The verification process, conducted in accordance with Clause 2(b) of the 2024 Regulations and Guidelines for Recall, sought to ascertain whether the petition met the legal threshold for further action.
INEC had previously assured Nigerians of a transparent and impartial handling of the process. As part of its procedure, the Commission first verified that the petitioners adhered to submission requirements. It then formally notified the Senator in question, with copies sent to the Senate’s presiding officer and a public notice published on its website. The final stage involved a thorough examination of the submitted signatures and thumbprints.
Petition Falls Short of Legal Threshold.
According to Section 69(a) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), a recall petition must be backed by signatures from more than one-half of the registered voters in the Senatorial District. For Kogi Central, which has 474,554 registered voters, the minimum requirement is 237,278 valid signatures.
INEC’s verification exercise revealed that only 208,132 signatures/thumbprints were submitted, representing 43.86% of registered voters—falling short of the required threshold by 29,146 signatures.
No Further Action on Recall.
As the petition failed to meet the constitutional requirement, INEC has officially declared that the recall process will not proceed. In line with Clause 2(d) of the 2024 Regulations and Guidelines for Recall, the Commission has issued a Public Notice confirming this outcome, with copies also sent to the Senate’s presiding officer.
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Furthermore, INEC has published a detailed summary of its review, including a breakdown of the verified signatures by Local Government Areas, on its official website and social media platforms for public access.
This development marks the conclusion of the recall effort, reinforcing INEC’s commitment to due process and adherence to constitutional provisions.
