Drama as INEC delivers Melaye’s recall notice, documents

From Fred Itua, Abuja

Embattled Senator representing Kogi West, Dino Melaye, has stayed away from his office, located on the second floor of the new Senate Wing, in the National Assembly, in Abuja, when officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) stormed his office to serve him his recall notice.

Five INEC officials, who arrived the building at about 11:00am, yesterday, met Melaye’s under lock and key. They waited for over 30 minutes, but, no staff of the senator turned up to receive the package from Kogi West constituents, delivered through the Commission.

INEC officials and a staff from the Abuja division of the Federal High Court, laid ambush on Melaye at the Chamber. When they arrived, Senate was still in a closed–door session. They waited for almost two hours before Melaye suddenly emerged from the chamber at about 1.00pm.

He was approached by the officials, who carried heavy ‘Ghana Must Go’ bags, which contained the signatories of his constituents. Melaye ignored them and hurriedly returned to the chamber, where he stayed till the end of the day’s legislative business, which ended at about 2:00pm.

Frustrated, the officials had to slide the court’s notice papers through the door of his office and refused to speak to newsmen, when confronted.

INEC had, on Monday, September 25, 2017, announced that it would serve Melaye his recall notice at his office in the National Assembly, since he could not be reached at his private residence in Maitama, also in Abuja.

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

During Senate’s two-month break, 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, the 90 days duration specified for such exercise had passed, since the process started on June 23, 2017.

He said for INEC to still forge ahead with a process that had outlived constitutionally stipulated duration showed that the electoral body was out to violate the laws of the land, “in the bid of carrying out the wish of some selfish politicians in Kogi state. I celebrate the obituary of the “Made-in-Taiwan’ recall exercise, while sympathising with the induced petitioners who will obviously face forgery and other criminal charges before a court of law very soon.”