Recall: Melaye heads to supreme court

Dino Melaye, senator representing Kogi west, has headed to the supreme court to challenge the judgement of the appeal court over the bid to recall him from the upper legislative chamber.

On Friday, the court of appeal, Abuja, dismissed all the grounds of appeal which Melaye filed against the judgement of the federal high court in Abuja.

The lower court had asked the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to proceed with the senator’s recall.

Melaye, through Mike Ozekhome, his lawyer, had requested a federal high court in Abuja to declare the petition submitted to INEC on his recall as illegal and unconstitutional.

He also asked the court to nullify the recall, saying it breached his rights but Nnamdi Dimgba, the presiding judge, did not grant Melaye’s prayers.

Few hours after losing out the appellate court, Melaye assured his supporters not to be bothered as he “is appealing the judgement of the appeal court immediately”.

“The judgement by the appeal court today is nothing to be bothered about. I urge my supporters to be relaxed as though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death yet I fear no evil. Every lie has an expiry date. We are appealing the judgement immediately,” Melaye tweeted.

The judgement by the appeal court today is nothing to be bothered about. I urge my supporters to be relaxed as though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death yet I fear no evil. Every lie has an expiry date. We are Appealing the judgement immediately

— Senator Dino Melaye. (SDM) (@_dinomelaye) March 16, 2018

Melaye’s travails started after INEC wrote to him on June 22 to inform him that it had received a petition from his constituents.

A total of 188,588 registered voters in Kogi west were said to have 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.