Dino Melaye: APC crisis deepens as constituents disown lawmaker

THE crisis rocking the Kogi State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) continued as the people of Kabba/Bunu State constituency disowned the member representing them in the state house of assembly, Mathew  Kolawole, over his alleged support for the recall of Senator Dino Melaye.

The people also noted that the performance of the lawmaker was bellow expectation since he was elected into the assembly.

The APC youths from Kabba/Bunu, while protesting against the activities of the lawmaker, who is also the majority leader of the house, asked him to desist from mobilising youths against the senator.

The spokesperson of the people, Michael Adekunle, said they had sent a letter addressed to the Resident Commissioner, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Kogi State and the Electoral Officer, Kabba/Bunu Local government area of the state, requesting INEC to provide recall forms for the removal of the lawmaker.

The letter by the constituents read in part, “In pursuance to section 110A and B of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) which empowers mandate givers to recall their member of House of Assembly whose activities fall short of expectations and not a promise keeper; we write to request for forms; to initiate process to recall Hon. Mathew kolawole, Member of Kogi State House of Assembly (KGSHA) representing Kabba/Bunu Constituency.

“Some of the reasons responsible for our intention to invoke the recall clause bordered on insensitivity, lack of constant report of activities of the house to its constituency, failure on oversight functions and sundry behaviour unbefitting of a lawmaker.”

The constituents, who also stormed the state secretariat of the APC in Lokoja, also vowed to recall the lawmaker from the house.

Speaking on behalf of the APC youths, a chieftain of the party, Oladele Ojo, said members of the party from Kabba and Bunu were convinced that Kolawole had committed a political error and that the appropriate punishment was to disown and recall him from the Kogi State House of Assembly.

“It is a gross unethical misconduct for a prominent member of the APC like him to make such a declaration on Senator Dino Melaye. If not for anything, at least they belonged to the same party. If we allow Kolawole to go scot free, that would set a bad precedent and spell doom for APC’s in the future.

“As far as I know, Kolawole cannot boast or claim to have executed constituency project that were worth N5 million in the past two years he has execute a single project in his constituency. Recalling him is the way out. we see no reason why he should be addressed as our representative,” he said.

In his remarks, Chairman of the APC in the state, Alhaji Haddy Amoto said the action of the legislator would be fully investigated by the party.

“We will act as requested by thousands of the constituents. You have voted him into power, he betrayed you and you disowned him. The leadership of the party will ensure that every action of misconduct must be thoroughly probed,” he assured.