In a bid to stop recall, Dino Melaye takes INEC to court

The embattled Senator representing Kogi West senatorial district, Dino Melaye, has dragged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) before a Federal High Court in Abuja to stop his recall which the electoral umpire has fixed July 3 for its commencement.

In the suit filed on his behalf by Chief Michael Ozekhome (SAN), Melaye said the process for his recall was illegal and as such, wants the court to declare it as totally unlawful and unconstitutional. He is also asking for a fair hearing before the recall process starts, asking the court to determine that by the provisions of sections 68 and 69 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended)

In the suit accompanied by an affidavit of urgency, Melaye among other things, wants the court to determine   whether the petition presented to INEC was in compliance with the constitution since it was tainted with political malice, bad motive, personal vendetta and bad faith. He is equally asking the court to determine the validity of the recall especially since the petition presented to electoral umpire was signed by fictitious and non-existing persons and persons who did not belong to his senatorial constituency in accordance with the constitution.

The senator further asked the court to determine whether the process of recall as provided for in section 69 of the constitution could be initiated against him when the number of registered and qualified voters in his constituency who signed the petition was grossly less than the number required by the section.

INEC had on Thursday written to Melaye saying it had formally acknowledged the receipt of the petition from the people of Kogi West senatorial district for his recall. The next step would be to verify that the petitioners are registered voters in the Kogi West senatorial district. INEC will, on July 3, 2017 issue a public notice stating the day(s), time, location and other details for the verification exercise.