RECALL: Melaye goes into hiding, as INEC slides notice under his office door

Embattled Senator representing Kogi West Senatorial District, Dino Melaye, has deserted his office, located on the second floor of the new Senate Wing. Melaye’s refusal to show up in the office is part of moves to frustrate the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from serving him his recall notice.

About five INEC officials who arrived at the National Assembly at about 11am on Tuesday, met the office of Melaye under lock and key. They waited for over 30 minutes, but no staff of the senator turned up.

Frustrated, the officials had to slide the notice papers under the door. The officials did not speak to newsmen when confronted.

Until his recent face-off with INEC, Melaye’s office was one of the busiest in the Senate. Sometimes, visitors had to wait outside, due to the number of people in his office, trying to see the lawmaker.

Even during the two-month break of the Red Chamber, Melaye’s office was always open and his staff were always on ground to respond to constituents.

During the two-month break of the Red Chamber, Melaye’s office was always open and his staff were on ground to respond to constituents. Whenever he was in Nigeria, Melaye frequented the National Assembly.

On Monday, Melaye told newsmen that based on provisions of section 69(b) of the 1999 constitution as amended, 90 days durations specified for such exercise had passed since the process started on the 23rd of June , 2017.

Read also: The ‘Made in Taiwan’ recall exercise is now dead and buried- Melaye

According to him, for INEC to still be forging ahead with a process that had outlived constitutionally stipulated duration, shows that the electoral body is out to violate the laws of the land in the bid of carrying out the wish of some selfish politicians in Kogi state.

He specifically alleged that the State governor, Yahaya Bello and Senator Smart Adeyemi were behind the recall process based on petition signed by only three persons in flagrant violation of constitutional provisions for that purpose.

He added that the whole process would hit the brick wall of failure in the face of the law as he has appealed against a judgement he claimed, was fraudulently obtained by INEC and its sponsors.

“I celebrate the obituary of the “made – in – Taiwan ‘ recall exercise, while sympathysing with the induced petitioners who will obviously face charges of forgery and other criminal charges before a court of law very, very soon,” he had stressed.

By Ehisuan Odia…

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