Melaye recall – INEC verifies petitioners’ signatures April 28

National Commissioner, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), in charge of Kogi, Kwara and Nasarawa states, Alhaji Mohammed Haruna, has said that the Commission “does not have any interest on who win or loss in the recalling verification exercise of Senator Dino Melaiye, representing Kogi western senatorial district.” INEC fi xed Saturday, April 28, 2018, for the verification of the signatures of the petitioners who initiated the recalling process of the lawmaker.

Speaking at a stakeholders’ meeting on the process of the recall, the National INEC Commissioner, appealed to the people of Kogi western senatorial district to exercise their constitutional right peacefully on the slated date, adding that the Commission would conduct the exercise without fear or favour. He noted that the recall can only succeed if the people concerned obey the rules of the game, calling on the security agents in the state to provide adequate security during the exercise.

At a press conference shortly after the meeting, the Kogi state Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Prof. James Apam, said Section 69 and 110 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, as amended, and Section 116 if the Electoral Act 2010, as amended, provide that a petition for recall “shall be presented to the Chairman of INEC by representatives of the petitioners.

” Apam added that last year some constituents in Kogi western senatorial district signed a petition to recall their representative, Senator Dino Malaye. He said: “While the INEC in line with the provisions of the constitution and the Electoral Act was in the process of initiating the recall, the senator challenged it in Court up to the Appeal Court which halted the process by an injunction pending the determination of the case. “But recently the court of Appeal gave INEC the go ahead to carry out the exercise and that is exactly what we are about to carry out.”

The REC noted that on the appointed date which is April 28, the verification is expected to commence by 8am and end at 2pm in the 552 polling units out of 560 in the district, adding that there were no petitions in eight units.

“Only those who signed the petition are expected to turn up at their polling units for verification and based on the Constitution the petition would only be said to have been verified if at least 50 per cent plus one of the signatures or thumb prints of the registered voters in the constituency are verified and to carry out the exercise the petitioners must appear personally at their polling units.”

According to him, the Commission has concluded all the arrangements required for the exercise

Leave a Reply