INEC releases timetable for Melaye’s recall process

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has released the timetable for the recall of Dino Melaye, senator representing Kogi west.

On June 22, the commission wrote a letter to Melaye to inform him that it had fixed July 3 for the announcement of the details of his recall process.

The lawmaker had gone to the court to challenge the bid to eject him from the upper legislative chamber.

Mike Ozekhome, his counsel, had asked an Abuja high court to issue an order of injunction restraining INEC from commencing the process.

But in a statement on Monday, INEC said the process of verifying the voters who endorsed the bid to remove Melaye would take place between July 10 and August 19.

A total of  188,588 registered voters in Kogi west signed the petition for Melaye’s recall.

According to the electoral act, one-half of the number of registered voters in a constituency is required for the recall of a lawmaker.

There are 360,098 registered voters in Kogi west and 188,588 represents a little more than one-half required.

The next step after the verification is the conduct of a referendum.

In the statement signed by Augusta Ogakwu, secretary of the commission, INEC said subject to the outcome of the verification exercise, it shall issue a timetable for the referendum.

Realising that the process had gained momentum, Melaye, who had initially boasted that it would end in futility, changed his stance by going spiritual.

In a series of tweets, the controversial legislator said he is a child of God and that those who “didn’t call me cannot recall me”.

Melaye has raised the alarm that many of the signatures on the recall list were forged and that names of dead people are there.