Some constituents of Kogi Central Senatorial District have initiated a recall process against Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, citing a vote of no confidence in her representation.
The process, witnessed in Okehi Local Government Area on Wednesday, drew a large turnout of voters queuing to support the recall.
Sources indicate that the exercise transcends party lines, driven by widespread dissatisfaction with Akpoti-Uduaghan’s performance, particularly in tackling poverty, infrastructure, and education.
Spanning two days across all polling units in the district’s five local government areas, the process requires constituents to sign a petition demanding the senator’s removal.
The Three Stages of Recalling a Nigerian Senator
A recall is the procedure by which an elected senator can be removed from office before the end of their term. It involves a voting process where constituents decide through a referendum (a yes or no vote) whether the senator should remain or be recalled. The process is outlined in Section 69 of the 1999 Constitution.
Stage 1: Petition
The recall process begins when the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) receives a petition signed by more than half of the registered voters in the senator’s constituency, expressing their loss of confidence.
The petition must be signed and categorised according to polling units, wards, local government areas, and the entire constituency.
Stage 2: Verification
If the petition is deemed valid, INEC will:
- Notify the senator of the petition.
- Issue a public notice detailing the verification’s date, time, and venue.
- Verify the signatures to ensure they belong to registered voters.
- If the verified signatures are fewer than half of the registered voters, INEC will dismiss the petition.
Stage 3: Referendum
If the petition meets the required threshold, INEC must conduct a referendum within 90 days. The vote is a simple yes or no decision on whether the senator should be recalled.
If a majority votes in favour of the recall, INEC’s chairman will issue a Certificate of Recall to the Senate President, officially removing the senator from office.
Despite this structured process, recalling a senator remains highly complex, requiring extensive organisation and mass mobilisation. To date, no Nigerian senator has ever been successfully recalled under the 1999 Constitution.
