By Oyibo Salihu Lokoja
Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) yesterday pasted the notice of verifi cation to begin the recall of Dino Melaye, representing Kogi West at the Senate. Th e Notice of Verifi cation was posted within an outside INEC LGA offi ce, Lokoja, for electorate to see what the next line of action would be. In a notice signed by its Chairman, Mahmoud Yakubu, yesterday, the Commission said “in accordance with section 69 of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) notice is hereby given that the verifi cation for the recall of the member representing Kogi West senatorial district shall hold on the 19th August, 2017.”
INEC also stated in the notice that the verifi cation to recall the lawmaker will be held between 8:00am-2:00pm in the said date. Earlier, a top INEC offi cial, who spoke under anonymity, said the Commission is yet to receive any court order to stop the process: “Th ere is no restraining order from any court. We will go ahead with the fi rst leg. But if along the line, INEC is stopped from going ahead with the exercise, we will stop it.” “Pasting the verifi cation notice is just the fi rst leg of the process, which cannot hurt Melaye in any way. “Even the process does not amount to removing the senator. By virtue of Section 110, a lawmaker is only opportune to gauge the mood of his or her constituents on his or her performance.”