The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), in Kogi state has fixed last Saturday of April for the commencement of the recall process of the embattled lawmaker representing Kogi West, Senator Dino Melaye.
Speaking today, Wednesday, at a stakeholders’ forum in Lokoja, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in the state, Professor James Apam said that the commission has also fixed first Saturday in the month of May as the day that a referendum would be conducted in line with the electoral laws.
“On this day, the Commission will endeavour to invite all those who have signed the recall register to come forward and identify their signature,” he said.
The REC pointed out that if this process is successful, the Commission will proceed to the next stage where a referendum of all registered voters in the senatorial district would be conducted.
“Here, voters will be asked to vote either ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to the question of whether they want Senator Dino Melaye recalled. If the answer meets the constitutional requirements of 51 percent ‘yes,’ the process moves to the next stage; but if it fails, the process stops.”
The commencement of the recall process is coming on the heels of the appellate court’s ruling that INEC can commence the recall process. The Court of Appeal had, last week, thrown out Senator Dino Melaye’s suit challenging the move to recall him. [myad]
