INEC Drops Bombshell: Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan’s Recall Petition Failed To Meet Legal Standards

INEC stated on Thursday that the recall process against the Kogi Central Senator, who had accused Senate President Godswill Akpabio of sexual harassment, was rejected due to non-compliance with constitutional requirements.

According to Victoria Eta-Messi, INEC’s Director of Voter Education and Publicity, the petition failed because it did not meet the constitutional provision of gathering the required 237,000 signatures. Eta-Messi made it clear during an interview with Arise News that INEC’s decisions cannot be based on social media claims.

She explained that the first step in any recall process is verifying the number of signatures collected. In this instance, the petition did not meet the required threshold, regardless of whether the signatures were genuine or forged.

“If the petition had met the threshold, INEC would have proceeded to conduct a proper verification process, notifying the member being recalled, the presiding officer of the relevant house, and the public,” Eta-Messi noted.

She further emphasized the challenges involved in a recall process, explaining that all signatories must appear in person for verification using the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS). Eta-Messi also pointed out that viral social media videos are not considered valid evidence, as only individuals presenting their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) can be authenticated during the process.