The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has issued updated regulations and guidelines for the recall of members of the National and State Assemblies, as well as councillors in the Federal Capital Territory’s (FCT) Area Councils.
This was revealed in a statement on Thursday by Sam Olumekun, INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, following a management meeting of the commission.
Reports have circulated regarding several recall letters for lawmakers in early August, coinciding with the EndBadGovernance protests that swept across Nigeria.
According to Olumekun, INEC has recently received multiple requests from various groups nationwide seeking the recall of their representatives in the National Assembly and state houses of assembly. He noted that some constituents had even asked the commission to initiate the recall process on their behalf.
“For clarity, the process is initiated by voters in a constituency. The commission only implements their request in accordance 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),” Olumekun explained.
He added that INEC has reviewed its regulations and guidelines, now offering a detailed procedure for the recall process. The 10-page document has been uploaded to the commission’s website and shared on its social media platforms for public access.
Olumekun urged constituents interested in recalling their elected representatives to follow the outlined provisions when preparing and submitting petitions to the commission.
