By: Emmanuel Abi Couson
The Independent National Electoral Commission has declared inadequate the petition filled foe the recall of the Senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.
The Commission said the petition has not met the requirements of the constitution.
In a terse statement on its X handle, INEC on Thursday, 3 April said the petition did not meet the requirements of the constitution.
‘X’ handle stated: “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)”.
However section 69: of the 1999 constitution of Nigeria as amended which deal with recall of members of the National Assembly, has the following subsection:
– *Subsection 1*: A member of the Senate or the House of Representatives may be recalled as provided in this section.
– *Subsection 2*: The recall of a member of the National Assembly shall be initiated by a petition to the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission signed by more than one-half of the registered voters in that member’s constituency alleging their loss of confidence in that member.
– *Subsection 3*: The petition shall state the grounds for the recall and shall be submitted to the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission.
– *Subsection 4*: Upon receiving the petition, the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission shall, within 90 days of its receipt, verify the signatures on the petition.
– *Subsection 5*: If the petition is valid, the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission shall conduct a referendum within 90 days of the verification of the signatures.
– *Subsection 6*: The referendum shall be conducted in the constituency of the member concerned and the question to be asked shall be:
– “Do you support the recall of [name of member] as a member of the [Senate/House of Representatives]?”
– *Subsection 7*: If a simple majority of the registered voters in the constituency vote in support of the recall, the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission shall issue a certificate of recall.
– *Subsection 8*: The certificate of recall shall be transmitted to the Speaker of the House of Representatives or the President of the Senate, as the case may be, who shall give effect to the recall.
– *Subsection 9*: A member whose recall is certified shall cease to be a member of the National Assembly from the date of the certification.
– *Subsection 10*: A member who is recalled shall not be eligible to contest elections to the National Assembly for a period of two years from the date of the recall.
