The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has turned down a petition requesting the recall of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents Kogi Central in the Senate.

In a statement released on Thursday, INEC explained that the petition did not meet the legal requirements for recalling a senator in Nigeria.

Recently, some constituents of Kogi Central submitted the petition to INEC’s headquarters in Abuja. The document, signed by over 250,000 people out of the 480,000 registered voters in the district, was titled Constituents’ Petition for the Recall of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan on Grounds of Loss of Confidence.

The petition was received by Rose Oriaran-Anthony, the Secretary to the Commission, on Monday. However, after reviewing it, INEC ruled that it did not fulfill the conditions stated in Section 69(a) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

Senator Natasha is currently under suspension for allegedly violating Senate rules. Despite the petition from her constituents, INEC’s decision means the recall process will not proceed.

This ruling confirms that removing a senator requires strict adherence to legal procedures, ensuring that only valid petitions can lead to such actions.