Abuja, April 3, 2025 – The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced that the petition seeking the recall of the Senator representing Kogi Central Senatorial District has failed to meet the constitutional requirements.
In a statement released today, INEC disclosed that after a thorough review of the signatures and thumbprints submitted, the petition fell short of the required threshold.
According to the Commission, Section 69(a) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) mandates that a recall petition must be supported by more than half of the registered voters in the affected constituency. In Kogi Central, where there are 474,554 registered voters, at least 237,278 valid signatures were needed. However, only 208,132 signatures—representing 43.86% of voters—were verified, leaving a shortfall of 29,146 signatures.
“As a result, the petition does not meet the constitutional requirement, and no further action will be taken on the recall process,” INEC stated.
The Commission assured the public that due process was followed, including notifying the affected senator, the Senate leadership, and making the process transparent through public notices and online updates.
INEC has published a summary of the review, detailing the breakdown of verified signatures across the five local government areas of the district, on its website and social media platforms.
This development effectively halts the recall process, reaffirming the legal standards required for such petitions.
