Recall Movement Gains Momentum As Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan’s Opponents Conquer Three Steps

So far, they have cleared three critical steps but still have seven remaining to remove her from office. Sections 69, 110, and 160 of the 1999 Constitution, along with Sections 2(c) and 113 of the Electoral Act, grant the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) the authority to regulate and set guidelines for the recall of members of the National Assembly, State Houses of Assembly, and Area Council members in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

The recall process is lengthy and involves several legal and procedural requirements.

The Ten Steps for Recall

Section 69 of the 1999 Constitution outlines ten detailed steps required for a senator’s recall, including:

1. Petition Submission: A petition must be filed with INEC by more than half of the registered voters in the senator’s constituency, alleging a loss of confidence in the senator.

2. Petition Signing: Voters must sign the petition, with signatures organized by polling units, wards, local government areas, and constituency.

3. INEC Notification: INEC notifies the senator that a valid petition for their recall has been submitted.

4. Signature Verification Date: INEC announces a date, time, and place for verifying the signatures on the petition.

5. Signature Verification: INEC verifies the signatures at the designated locations. Only voters on the electoral register are eligible to have their signatures counted.

6. No Referendum: If the number of verified signatures falls short of half of the registered voters, INEC will inform the petitioners that the minimum requirements for a referendum have not been met, and the petition will be dismissed.

7. Referendum: If more than 50% of the signatories are verified, INEC schedules a referendum.

8. Referendum Within Three Months: INEC must conduct the referendum within 90 days of receiving the petition. The referendum, a simple “yes” or “no” vote, determines whether the senator should be recalled. A majority of registered voters decides the outcome, but for validity, at least 50% of registered voters must participate.

9. Recall Validity: If the majority votes in favor of recall, INEC will issue a Certificate of Recall to the Senate President.

10. Senator’s Removal: The Senate President will formally remove the senator from office.

The referendum process presents a significant challenge, requiring 50% voter participation. For Kogi Central, this means 237,277 out of 474,554 registered voters must cast their ballots. In the 2023 general elections, voter turnout in Kogi Central was just around 27%, making the threshold for recall much higher.