The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has thrown out the petition seeking to recall the Senator representing the Kogi Central Senatorial District, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, for failing to meet requirement of Section 69(a) of the Constitution. The electoral umpire disclosed this on its official tweeter handle this afternoon.
INEC wrote, “The petition for the recall of the Senator representing the Kogi Central Senatorial District has not met the requirement of Section
69(a) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended)”.
This is coming on the heel after the suspended lawmaker accused the electoral body of taking side in the attempt to recall her from the senate.
The embattled lawmaker, after arriving in a chopper to her locality circumventing the curfew slammed by the governor in the state told her constituency members in Okehi Local Government Area of Kogi State, on Tuesday, that, “What I see INEC doing is aiding and guiding petitioners on how to perfect their illicit acts,” she said while addressing the jubilant crowd.
She explained, “The first time the petition was submitted, they didn’t have address and phone numbers, so INEC went out to guide them on how to submit information that will perfect their petition.
“And what did they do? The petitioners, who were from the other party, the APC, submitted a letterhead. What was the name of it? Kogi Central Political Frontier. And the address there was number 4, Oboroke.”
Natasha dismissed the petition saying the address does not exist, disclosing that she ran a check on the status of registration of Kogi Central Political Frontier, the association which sponsored her recall.
“And the CAC report came negative, that the association is not registered. So, I’m still waiting and wondering why INEC has not yet made a statement to that effect or sent people down to Oboroke here, which is just five minutes away, to ascertain whether that address is real.
“Or have we stooped to the point whereby fictitious, non-existing associations and individuals can call for the recall of a senator? Are we in a kangaroo country? We should not allow that.
“I don’t know whether the process will be stalled, but we are in courts as well. Also, I don’t know when they will come down here to verify. But I will say this, if the time ever comes for the verification of the 250,000 people that signed for my recall, I trust that you will do right,” She concluded.
