Former presidential aide Laolu Akande and YIAGA Africa’s Executive Director, Samson Itodo, have both praised the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for its decision to reject a petition seeking the recall of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central.
INEC recently dismissed the petition, citing failure to meet the constitutional requirements for initiating a recall process. The commission made it clear that the petition lacked the necessary number of valid signatures and, as such, would not proceed with further action.
Reacting to the development on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily, Akande applauded the commission’s adherence to due process and its transparency in explaining its position.
“I think in this particular instance, INEC did the right thing, and they did it quite elegantly to say, ‘Look, the first thing we are going to do is to look at the numbers in line with our regulations and the law.’ I don’t think it was so much because she showed her strength and popularity,” Akande said.
He further noted that INEC had based its decision strictly on the facts and constitutional guidelines.
“I think we should give INEC the credit that it came out and explained – Mr. Olumekun and Rotimi Oyekanmi [INEC officials] said that they just followed what was presented and made a determination,” he added.
According to the electoral body, the Kogi Central Senatorial District has 474,554 registered voters, and under Section 69(a) of the Constitution, a recall petition must be backed by at least 237,278 signatures. The petitioners, however, submitted only 208,132 valid entries.
“Consequently, the petition has not met the requirement of Section 69(a) of the Constitution. Therefore, no further action shall be taken on the recall of the Senator,” INEC’s National Commissioner, Sam Olumekun, stated.
Samson Itodo also reacted to the issue during an appearance on The Morning Brief, another Channels Television programme. He said INEC’s actions reflect a commitment to democratic principles.
“First, I think it is important to commend INEC for the declaration that it made yesterday concerning this petition,” Itodo said.
“It was a victory for constitutionalism. They upheld the provisions of the Constitution, so INEC does deserve commendation.”
He also noted that the commission’s decision is likely to enhance public confidence in its independence and credibility.
