A former presidential aide, Laolu Akande, and the Executive Director of Yiaga Africa, Samson Itodo, have commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over the rejection of a petition to recall Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.
INEC, in a move that has continued to drive conversations across the country, rejected a petition to recall Senator Natasha, who represents Kogi Central, citing constitutional inadequacies.
The electoral umpire said no further action will be taken over the recall process.
In their separate reactions to the decision, both Akande and Itodo said INEC deserves some commendation for sticking to the laws of the land and rejecting the petition.
‘Give INEC the Credit’
“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,” the former presidential spokesman said on Friday’s edition of Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily.
“I think we should give INEC the credit that it came out and explained – Mr Olumekun and tRotimi Oyekanmi [INEC officials] said that they just followed what was presented, and made a determination,” he said.
‘Has Not Met Requirement’
In rejecting the petition, INEC said the number of signatures in the petition did not meet the constitutional threshold to recall Senator Natasha.
Citing Section 69(a) of the Constitution, which stipulates that a petition to recall a senator needs the signatures of more than one-half of the registered voters in the lawmaker’s constituency.
“The total number of registered voters in the Kogi Central Senatorial District is 474,554. More than one-half of this figure (i.e. 50%+1) is 237,277+1, which is at least 237,278 voters,” the statement issued by INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman, Information & Voter Education Committee Sam Olumekun read in part.
“Across the 902 Polling Units in 57 Registration Areas and five Local Government Areas that make up the Senatorial District, the Commission ascertained 208,132 signatures/thumbprints from the submission made by the petitioners.”
“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,” Olumekun said.
‘Victory for Constitutionalism’
Weighing in on the matter, Itodo, who appeared on another Channels Television show, The Morning Brief, on the same day, said though INEC only enforced the provisions of the law in rejecting the move to recall the 45-year-old lawmaker, the umpire deserves some credit.
“First, I think it is important to commend INEC for the declaration that it made yesterday concerning this petition,” the YIAGA Africa boss said.
“It was a victory for constitutionalism. They upheld the provisions of the Constitution, so INEC does deserve commendation.”
According to him, by this singular action, the electoral commission has increased its rating among Nigerians.
