The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) yesterday pasted the notice of the verification of the recall process of Senator Dino Melaye, who is from Kogi West Senatorial District, at its state office in Lokoja.

The commission chose to go ahead with the process based on precedents and judicial pronouncements.

The National Commissioner of INEC in charge of North-Central, Mallam Mohammed Haruna, said the Court of Appeal had since 2001 decided that a court cannot stop the recall of a lawmaker.

The commission pasted the notice at the state office of INEC in Lokoja as early as 10am.


The INEC “Notice of Verification”, states: “In accordance with Section 69 of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999(As amended), notice is hereby given that the verification for the recall of the member representing Kogi West Senatorial District of Kogi State shall hold as follows:

“Date: 19th August, 2017; Time: 8am-2pm; Location: All polling units in Kogi West Senatorial District.”

A top source in INEC said: “We have commenced the recall process of Sen. Dino Melaye because the matter is quite clear. Somebody brought a petition, which we served on Melaye and thereafter signatures were collected.

“The procedure is quite clear and we are just following it. By the time the date comes for verification, we will go there. If the number of voters seeking Melaye’s recall is less than the statutory requirement, the matter ends there.

“But if the number is in line with the requirement, there will be a referendum.”

Responding to a question, the source added: “There is no any order of a court restraining INEC from going ahead with the recall. And since we do not have legal inhibitions preventing us from treating the petition against the senator, we owe it a duty to proceed with the recall.


“If you look at the provision of Section 87(10) of the Electoral Act, 2010(As amended), which is applicable in this instance, INEC cannot be stopped from doing its work of conducting election in any manner whatsoever.

“The provision of Section 110 of the 1999 Constitution is actually explicit on the recall. As an institution, INEC has nothing against Melaye or any lawmaker. We are expected to follow the constitution and the Electoral Act. Implementing a recall process is not a suicide mission for any lawmaker. If a lawmaker has the backing of his or her constituents, the recall process will be dead on arrival.”

Haruna said: “We have a Court of Appeal judgement on why court cannot stop the process. This judgment is dated back to 2001.

“Since there is a subsisting Court of Appeal judgment, we will abide by it.”

Melaye’s recall will run from July 10 to August 19.

The notice, dated July 3rd, 2017, reads in part: “In exercise of the powers conferred on the Independent National Electoral Commission(“the Commission”) by Sections 69 and 110 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999(as amended); Section 116 of the Electoral Act 2010(as amended) and of all the powers enabling it in that behalf, the Commission hereby issues this timetable schedule of activities for the recall of the Senator representing Kogi West Senatorial District, Kogi State.”

The details of the timetable are as follows:
Notice of Verification (10th July, 2017). To be posted at the constituency (INEC LGA office, Lokoja).
Last day for submission of application by interested observers (31st July 2017). INEC headquarters.
Last day for submission of names of verification agents for the member sought to be recalled and the petitioners (10th August 2017). By a letter addressed and submitted to the Resident Electoral Commission (REC) indicating the Polling Unit verification agents arranged by LGAs as well as collation agents and where they will serve.
Stakeholders meeting (15th August, 2017). INEC State Office.
Conduct of Verification (19th August, 2017). To be held in the Polling Units in the constituency.

“The commission shall issue the timetable and schedule of activities for the conduct of referendum subject to the outcome of the verification exercise.”

Melaye: Lawyers serve INEC with restraining order

Lawyers representing Senator Dino Melaye yesterday said they had served the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) with an order restraining it from continuing with his recall process.

Melaye’s lead counsel, Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN), told our correspondent that INEC was served with the order yesterday morning.

“The clear order was duly served on INEC this morning (yesterday).

“INEC has, therefore, been restrained by Justice John Tsoho from taking any steps on the matter of Senator Melaye’s recall till the hearing and determination of his motion on notice for interlocutory injunction against INEC.
more details at http://www.akelicious.com/2017/07/inec-pastes-notice-of-melayes-recall.html

This is the tail end of melaye

Oga melaye how market?

Instead of him to call meeting with Elders in his constituency and seek amend he is taking INEC to court. All his party top ranking officers want him gone, his co-Senators want him gone, media is tired of his narrow mind, his constituency are recalling him. Only Saraki and Ekweremadu want him retained. Its a pity!

What next now?

K

ORACLE1975:
What next now?

Melaye should ignore the riff-raffs,its a waste of time

Dino is going no where.

triplewisdom:
Dino is going no where.

Ur thinking ba? If he finally just drag him back to the senate.

OPCNAIRALAND:
Instead of him to call meeting with Elders in his constituency and seek amend he is taking INEC to court. All his party top ranking officers want him gone, his co-Senators want him gone, media is tired of his narrow mind, his constituency are recalling him. Only Saraki and Ekweremadu want him retained. Its a pity!

You wish

Dino the goner



He's since then found his brains and stopped shouting up and down

Inec should continue doing their constitutional duty jor.the journey of dino out of the senate has reached a point of no return.up apc,down dino

OPCNAIRALAND:
Instead of him to call meeting with Elders in his constituency and seek amend he is taking INEC to court. All his party top ranking officers want him gone, his co-Senators want him gone, media is tired of his narrow mind, his constituency are recalling him. Only Saraki and Ekweremadu want him retained. Its a pity!

Dino no get sense reach that level

if not for anything, I want the recall to successful so all our sinator go know say, that high seat isn't permanent and can be snatched even before their tenure expire.

No where the case touch; e go end like Saraki own

one nuisance out loading. Kwarans should follow and recall that useless thief.

Uncle Dino Clown-Melaye.

If this Recall pulls through, I pray it will give other senatorial districts in the country the balls to recall under performing Senators and even let it stretch to useless Governors.

PaChukwudi44:

Melaye should ignore the riff-raffs,its a waste of time

by their comment, you will know the name and by the name you will know their head and by their head you will know their country

Dino bye bye oooo

Aje kun iya nu je

Hmmm

What's INEC waiting for? They should sequester this idiot!

As it stands, there's no going back

When a man feels he has become a demi-god, God always finds a way to humble such a person

Dino have a nice trip

another action film

Futile effort!

End of the Road

These people want to kill Dino before he dies

Dino is finished