The Senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, has criticised the Independent National Electoral Commission for not outrightly rejecting the petition seeking her recall, describing the commission’s response as an indication of bias.

INEC, in a statement on Tuesday signed by its National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun, confirmed receiving the petition, which reportedly contains signatures from more than half of the 474,554 registered voters in the senatorial district.

However, the electoral body noted that the petition failed to include essential details such as the contact addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses of the petitioners, as required under the Commission’s Regulations and Guidelines for Recall 2024.

In response, Akpoti-Uduaghan, through her lawyer, Victor Giwa, in a letter dated March 26, accused INEC of compromising its neutrality by offering guidance to the petitioners instead of declaring the petition incompetent due to its procedural flaws.

The letter partly reads, “Your position as disclosed in your press release on March 25, 2025, signed by Sam Olumekun shows that the Commission has taken sides and has become partial in favour of the Petitioners in this case.

“The Commission has observed that the Petitioners’ Petition did not meet the threshold of the requirement of a Petition to recall a member, having not contained the required contact addresses, telephone numbers and email addresses in their covering letter forwarding the Petition as contained in Clause 1(f) of INEC Regulation and Guideline. The proper thing and step to have been taken is to declare the Petition as “incompetent” and subsequently disregard same.”

The embattled lawmaker said the proper step INEC should have taken to show it was unbiased in the matter was to declare the petition defective, which would have brought an end to the process.

She added, “Lawfully, the Commission is supposed to have declared the Petition as incompetent for being patently defective for the reasons stated above but surprisingly, the Commission, instead of disregarding the Petition for failure to meet the requirements, opted to take the role of an adviser to the Petitioners and so advised the Petitioners that once they provide the needed information that is not contained in the Petition by meeting the requirements, it shall commence the verification of the signatures in each polling units.

“We posit that the Commission has by this press release shown partisanship and partiality in favour of the Petitioner and has compromised the process.

“The proper step to take by the Commission, if the Commission will maintain its integrity and impartiality, is to declare the Petition as incompetent and defective and notify the Petitioners accordingly. Therefore, putting an end to this process at this stage.”

Akpoti-Uduaghan also pointed out that the addresses provided in the petition were limited to Okene, Kogi State, suggesting that the alleged signatures did not represent the entire senatorial district.

“Secondly, the address disclosed and provided in the petition according to your press release was Okene Kogi State, meaning that the two hundred and fifty signatories as contained in the petition came only from Okene, Kogi state, which seems more probable, ” She said.

She insisted that INEC’s decision to allow the petitioners to correct their errors rather than disqualifying the petition outright was a breach of due process, urging the commission to “do the needful and rebuild the public trust that is fast declining.
We still believe that the Commission will act rightly”.

Washington [United States], March 26 (ANI): US President Donald Trump on Tuesday (local time) signed an executive order overhauling the US federal elections to “enforce basic and necessary election protections” employed by modern, developed, and developing nations.

Citing examples of India and some other nations, the US president stated that voters will now be required to show proof of citizenship during federal elections and restricted the time states are able to receive mail-in votes.

According to the statement in the order, countries like India and Brazil have linked voter identification to biometric databases for greater accuracy, while the US predominantly relies on self-attestation of citizenship, raising concerns over verification.

Moreover, it stated that in vote tabulation, Germany and Canada mandate paper ballots counted publicly by local officials–a method that minimises disputes–whereas the US employs a varied mix of voting systems, often leading to chain-of-custody issues.

The order also highlights further disparities, citing examples of Denmark and Sweden restricting mail-in voting to those unable to vote in person and rejecting late-arriving ballots regardless of postmark, while many US states have embraced widespread mail-in voting, with some accepting ballots without postmarks or those arriving well after Election Day.

“India and Brazil, for example, are tying voter identification to a biometric database, while the United States largely relies on self-attestation for citizenship. In tabulating votes, Germany and Canada require use of paper ballots, counted in public by local officials, which substantially reduces the number of disputes as compared to the American patchwork of voting methods that can lead to basic chain-of-custody problems,” the order read.

“Further, while countries like Denmark and Sweden sensibly limit mail-in voting to those unable to vote in person and do not count late-arriving votes regardless of the date of postmark, many American elections now feature mass voting by mail, with many officials accepting ballots without postmarks or those received well after Election Day,” the order added.

According to the order, the Election Assistance Commission is directed within 30 days to update its national mail voter registration form to require documentary proof of US citizenship–such as a passport, REAL ID-compliant identification, military ID, or other government-issued photo ID indicating citizenship–along with detailed recording of the document by state or local officials.

Moreover, to identify unqualified voters, the Secretary of Homeland Security must provide state and local officials free access to citizenship verification systems, while the Secretary of State will share relevant database information.

Federal agencies under the National Voter Registration Act are also tasked with verifying citizenship before distributing voter registration forms to public assistance enrollees, the order added. (ANI)

A coalition of senior members within the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Zamfara State, known as the Concerned Elders for Peace, has called for the expulsion of Hon. Aminu Sani Jaji, a serving member of the House of Representatives, citing alleged acts of sabotage against the party.

In a statement released on Wednesday in Sokoto, Aliyu Mammani Kaura, the Zonal Coordinator of APC North-West, accused Jaji of fostering divisions within the party, endorsing media attacks on prominent APC figures, and collaborating with the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Zamfara State.

The elders expressed concern that Jaji’s purported association with the PDP-led state government is undermining the internal cohesion of the APC.

The group also highlighted Jaji’s alleged disrespect towards key party leaders, including the Minister of State for Defense, Bello Matawalle, and former Governor Abdul’aziz Yari.

They emphasized that despite multiple reconciliation attempts, Jaji has persisted in actions detrimental to party unity, notably utilizing social media platforms to disseminate discord and criticize APC leadership.

“The continued defiance and disregard for party leadership by Hon. Sani Jaji pose a serious threat to the APC’s stability in Zamfara and the North-West,” the statement warned. The elders cautioned that if unchecked, Jaji’s actions could further weaken the party ahead of the 2027 elections. They added, “His antagonistic stance toward party leaders threatens the unity, discipline, and progress of the APC in the region.”

Furthermore, the elders criticized Jaji’s media aide, Mansur Aminu Khalifa, accusing him of making inflammatory remarks aimed at discrediting party leaders.

They noted that both Jaji and Khalifa had previously been suspended for misconduct, yet their alleged disruptive behavior continues, indicating a lack of loyalty to the APC in favor of external political interests.

The Concerned Elders for Peace are urging the national leadership of the APC to take decisive action to preserve the party’s unity and prevent further divisions, emphasizing the necessity for a strong and united front as the party prepares for future elections.