The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has acknowledged the petition seeking the recall of the Senator representing Kogi Central Senatorial District. The announcement was made following INEC’s regular weekly meeting held on Tuesday, March 25, 2025.
In a press release signed by National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun, INEC confirmed receiving the petition, which was submitted with six bags of documents containing signatures said to have been collected from over half of the 474,554 registered voters across 902 polling units in Adavi, Ajaokuta, Ogori/Magongo, Okehi, and Okene Local Government Areas.
However, the commission noted a critical flaw in the submission. According to INEC, the petitioners failed to provide a definite contact address, telephone numbers, and email addresses of all their representatives, as required by Clause 1(f) of INEC’s Regulations and Guidelines for Recall 2024. The only contact information provided was the telephone number of the lead petitioner, while the address simply stated “Okene, Kogi State,” without a specific location.
INEC emphasized that the recall of a legislator is the exclusive right of registered voters in the affected constituency. If a recall petition meets all necessary requirements, the commission will proceed with the verification process using the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) in an open and transparent manner. The process will allow both petitioners and the affected senator to nominate agents for observation, while accredited media and independent observers will also monitor the exercise.
The commission stated that if the petitioners comply fully with the submission requirements, it will announce the next steps in line with electoral laws. Meanwhile, INEC is exploring alternative ways to notify the petitioners of the missing details in their submission.
INEC urged the public to disregard any social media speculation regarding the petition, reaffirming its commitment to following due process as outlined in the law.
