BY BODE GBADEBO and Chibuzo Ukaibe,
The Kogi State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has reacted to the ongoing recall move against the Senator representing Kogi West in the Senate, Dino Melaye, declaring its “unflinching support” for the lawmaker for his courage and stance against injustice in the state.
In a joint letter addressed to Acting President Yemi Osinbajo, Senate President Bukola Saraki, Speaker Yakubu Dogara, national chairman of the APC, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun and members of the National Assembly, the leadership of the party in Kogi said the “purported recall process” was embarked upon by agents of darkness.
The letter titled “We Are Proud of Distinguished Senator Dino Melaye” was jointly signed by the state chairman of the party, Alhaji Hardy Ametuo; deputy chairman, Hon. Shaibu Osune; state secretary, Barr. S.T. Adejo, zonal vice chairman (Kogi West) Chief Gbenga Asagun, zonal vice chairman (Kogi East) Comm. Isah Daniel, and zonal vice chairman (Kogi Central) Hon. Ahovi S. Ibrahim.
They added that the planned recall of Melaye was disservice to the confluence state.
The letter reads in part: “We convey our unflinching support to Senator Dino Melaye (Kogi West) for his courage for standing against injustice, inhumanity and oppression. We stand by our party policies and Nigerian Constitution which provides that no person shall be subjected to torture, inhuman or degrading treatment. Our dear Senator, we salute your courage.
“Apparently, the purported recall process embarked upon by agents of darkness is a disservice to Kogi state and Kogi West senatorial district”.
The party noted that the contribution of Senator Melaye to the formation of the ruling APC, her campaigns and the eventual success of President Muhammadu Buhari is not only noticeable but “extremely valuable”.
They added that the party can only appreciate Melaye, who is the current Senator of the Year 2016, and his masses-oriented Bills and Motions in the Senate, among other immeasurable federal projects he has attracted to Kogi West senatorial zone of the state.
18 Constituents Ask Court To Stop INEC, Others
Meanwhile, the controversy over the recall process of the Senator representing Kogi West, Dino Melaye, is heightening as 18 indigenes from the senatorial district have approached a federal high court in Abuja to stop the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from carrying out the verification exercise, citing forgery of their signatures.
They also claimed that names of dead persons and people who do not reside in the district appeared in the recall register submitted to INEC.
Responding however, INEC said it was yet to receive the copy of the exparte motion, adding however that it is the constitutional right for any person who feels aggrieved to go to court.
When contacted, INEC’s Director of Voter Education and Publicity, Oluwole Osaze-Uzzi, told LEADERSHIP Friday that the commission has not been served. “When we are served the motion we will know how to respond to the issues appropriately”.
The applicants who faulted 188,000 signatures which were submitted to INEC noted that, while 111,534 voted in the general election in Kogi West, the total number of registered voters in Kogi West is 360,098.
They added that electoral commission had recently announced a less number of collected Permanent Voter Cards (PVC) in the senatorial district.
According to a copy of the motion which was made available to newsmen, INEC who is the first respondent was sued alongside eight other respondents, comprising some aides of the state governor, Yahaya Bello, and state lawmakers from the Senator’s district.
According to motion, the applicants said “that 2nd to 9th respondents fraudulently opened a recall register and signed signatures for registered voters in Kogi West Senatorial District.
“That some of the names of the registered voters that appeared in re said recall register were dead voters and some voters who were not even residing at Kogi State and they were at different parts of the country when the purported signatures were fraudulently collated by the 2nd and 9th respondents.”
However, the convener of the indigenes , Olowosayo Gabriel Sunday, who is also the first applicant in the suit, said, “That as at the last announcement, INEC itself agreed and announced a figure of PVC collection in Kogi West that is far less than the alleged 188,000.
“That we are aware that there is possible connivance between the people on the recall agenda and INEC because we have evidence of photograph of PVCs in thousands gathered together for the recall, an act contrary to the electoral act.
Responding Osaze-Uzzi noted: “People, who feel they have lost confidence in their Senator have a constitutional right to make a recall. Also, anybody who feels aggrieved by any petition has a constitutional right to seek legal redress.
“However, when people file a legal suit they should wait to see the end of it before going to the press”.
LEADERSHIP
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