The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has released updated regulations and guidelines for the recall process of elected officials at both the state and federal levels.
This announcement was made on Thursday, September 19, by Sam Olumekun, the National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, following the approval of these guidelines during a Commission meeting.
The document, a comprehensive ten-page guide, details the procedure for recalling elected representatives. It requires petitioners to submit a request to the INEC Chairman, who will then review it. For a recall to be successful, the petition must be signed by more than half of the registered voters in the constituency of the officeholder seeking recall.
Upon receiving the petition, INEC will verify the signatures to ensure they are registered voters in the constituency before proceeding with a referendum on the recall.
The statement from the Commission reads: “The Commission met today, Thursday 19th September 2024. In addition to reviewing the final preparations for the Edo State Governorship election holding on Saturday 21st September 2024, the Commission also considered and approved the revised Regulations and Guidelines for the Recall of members of the National and State Assemblies and Councillors in the Area Councils of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).”
The Commission further noted that it has received multiple requests from various groups across the country seeking the recall of their representatives in both the National Assembly and State Houses of Assembly.
“For clarity, the process is initiated by the voters in a constituency. The Commission only implements their request in line with Sections 69, 110, and 160 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) and Sections 2(c) and 113 of the Electoral Act, 2022,” the statement added.
The revised instructions have been posted on INEC’s website and social media channels, giving constituents a thorough method for starting a recall. INEC asked voters who want to recall their MPs to follow the guidelines mentioned in the paper when submitting their petition.
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