Officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)
yesterday stormed the National Assembly complex with a bag full of
petitions to serve as notice of recall on the embattled Senator
represent Kogi West senatorial district, Dino Melaye.
INEC had received the petitions from Melaye’s constituents, calling
for his recall, but the lawmaker insisted that he cannot be recalled
because the exercise was being sponsored by Kogi State governor, Yahaya
Bello.
Melaye had on Monday addressed a world press conference in which he
said the 90-day deadline set for INEC to conduct a referendum in line
with section 69 of the 1999 constitution as amended has since expired.
The lawmaker further alleged that the planned process of his recall
came to the fore after several failed attempts to assassinate him, even
as he described the recall exercise by INEC as a sham.
Yesterday, there was pandemonium at the National Assembly complex as
the commission officials occupied the Senate wing waiting for Melaye to
arrive.
The drama interrupted several activities within the White House, as
workers and visitors thronged the corridors to catch a glimpse of the
stern looking officials of the commission.
When the officials later proceeded to Melaye’s office after several
attempts to trap the Senator in the chamber failed, they simply found
the place locked but decided to dump the documents by the lawmaker’s
door.
The INEC officials arrived at the NASS complex at about 1.pm but all
efforts by the them to meet with Melaye did not yield good result as the
Senator, immediately after plenary, quickly entered his vehicle parked
outside the chambers and drove off.
LEADERSHIP also observed that the Melaye’s office located in the new
Assembly office building was completely under lock and key, just as
aides of the Senator were not in the office to receive the recall
notice.
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