INEC starts recall process of Senator Melaye

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has released the timetable and schedule of activities for the recall of Sen. Dino Melaye, representing Kogi West Senatorial District.

The commission released the timetable in a statement Mrs Augusta Ogakwu, Secretary of the Commission, on Monday in Abuja.

Ogakwu said that on July 10, INEC would issue verification notice to be pasted at Melaye’s constituency and at INEC Local Government Office in Lokoja.

On July 30, she said, is the last day for submission of application by interested observers at INEC headquarters office.

According to her, INEC has fixed Aug. 10 as the last day for submission of names of verification agents for the member to be recalled and the petitioners.

She said that commission would schedule stakeholders meeting for the recall to be held on Aug. 15 at INEC Lokoja office.

On Aug. 19, INEC would conduct verification of the signatures of the petitioners demanding the recall, submitted to the commission from all the polling units in the constituency, she explained.

On the same day, INEC would declare the outcome of the verification at its Local Government Office in Lokoja.

INEC would issue the timetable and schedule of activities for the conduct of referendum subject to the outcome of the verification exercise, she explained.

Speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) shortly after submitting the petition for Melaye’s recall on June 24, Chief Cornelius Olowo, said the move was based on the senator’s “abysmal performance’’.

Olowo led the constituents of Kogi West to INEC headquarters in Abuja to submit the petition.

He accused Melaye of distancing himself from his constituents since he was elected to represent the district in 2015.

He said that no fewer than 180,500 registered voters out of the 360,000 voters in the senatorial district endorsed Melaye’s recall. (NAN)