Drama as constituents shun Melaye’s recall, stay away from polling units

THE verification of constituents that signed recall petition of the senator representing Kogi West Senatorial District, Dino Melaye, was on Saturday marred with apathy and low turnout in the seven local government areas of the district.

The exercise, conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was, however, peaceful throughout the district, as no violence was recorded in the affected local government areas.

Apart from this, some voters in Lokoja local government area came to the verification centres and denied being part of the exercise, saying their signatures were forged on the petition.

Also in Ole/Oke-Ofin ward in Kabba/Bunu local government area, there was noticeable turnout of people that came out for the verification.

At the Oworo Ward 8 Unit 4 Lokoja, where 3,340 are listed as registered voters, as at 12.37 noon, confirmed that out of the 815 petitioners on the recall list, no one had come out for the verification exercise.

At Oworo Ward 8, Unit 12, with 1,005 voter, and 512 on the recall petition list, 40 petitioners presented for the verification as at 12.08 noon, in an exercise that commenced at 8.00 a.m. and billed to end by 2.00 pm.

A registered voter at the polling unit on the premises of the Lokoja Club, Samuel Olokotun protested the appearance of his wife’s name on the petitioners’ list, saying that his wife was never a signatory to the petition. He threatened to sue those so involved.

Another voter, who simply identify himself Thomas went emotional when he said her daughter, who died in 2016, was included as one of the petitioners.

The man wrote on his facebook wall, “I had a bad experience today. The evil men behind Dino’s recall open up my old wounds today. My late daughter, Miss Thomas Faith that died on July 18 2016 at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Lokoja was included among the petitioners. Her name is in number 729 on that evil list, her voters card is still with me,  how did they got the VIN number?  Is it her ghost that came to sign without the voters card? Whosoever did this will see hell”.

At some areas, youths protested against the move to recall the senator who they described as “an excellent representative.”

An NYSC member, Miss Opemipo Solomon, the INEC officer at Akafe Lane polling unit, said that no one had shown up since they arrived the voting venue at 6.45 a.m.

“No one has come to sign the recall papers. What we have had so far are threats from people asking us leave this place.

“The people do not appear interested in what we are doing. Some youths have come to warn us against staying here,” she said.

Another corps member, David Adah, INEC presiding officer at the OdoAkete polling unit also in kabba, said that many youths were angry over the recall process.

“So many youths from the community are angry; they have alleged that their signatures were forged to endorse the recall process.

“Most of the youths, who saw their names among those that signed for the recall of Melaye, have disowned the signatures and insisted that they are happy with the Senator,” he said.

At the embattled senator’s polling unit in Ayetoro Gbede, a traditional ruler, Chief Ojo Adekunle, who led some youths to protest against the recall process, said that they were not aware of Melaye’s offence.

“Melaye has done so well and we are happy with him. We have no reason to want to recall him,” he said.

Adekunle told NAN that Melaye was the best Senator Kogi West had ever produced and urged his people not to betray their representative at this trying period.

• My recall process has expired —Senator Melaye

Mrs. Vicoria Ajewole, APC Woman Leader in Kabba Local Government, expressed surprise at the recall process and declared that “it won”t work”.

“Melaye is our son; there is no way anyone can recall him,” she said.

At the central area of Kabba town, youths were seen chanting songs in praise of Melaye, vowing to resist attempt to disgrace him.

Efforts to speak with INEC officials at the commission’s office in Kabba proved abortive as they refused to comment on the exercise

Stern-looking policemen keeping vigil at the polling points also refused to comment on the exercise.

At Ukwo-Okoriko Compound in Koton-Karfe, Ward A, unit 003 with 440 petitioners, only 18 had their signatures verified at about 11.00 a.m.

The electoral officer, Musa Iliasu, said only 18 had been verified but added that it was only INEC that would say which signature was genuine or otherwise.

At the Ohogabi polling unit with 500 petitioners out of the 991 registered voters, only 43 petitioners had their signatures verified by 11:37 a.m.

Similarly, in Banda, Lokoja Local Government, Oworo Ward 8, Unit 012 with 512 petitioners out of 1,005 registered voters, only 40 were verified at about 12:09 p.m.

At Oworo Ward 8, unit 004 with over 3,340 registered voters and 815 petitioners, none of the petitioners had shown up for the exercise at the time of filing this report.

At Lokoja Club polling unit, Ward A, unit 016, with 875 petitioners, only two had registered their presence at the unit and both complained that their signatures were forged as they were never part of the petitioners.

Apart from this, some voters in Lokoja Local Government Area came to the verification centres and denied being part of the exercise, saying their signatures were forged on the petition.

However, some of the polling units in Odokoro ward, Ijumu Local Government Area witnessed large turnout as many voters were still on the queue as at 1 pm.

In Okedayo, Kabba/Bunu, there was complete apathy as electorate in two polling units in Saint Peter’s Primary School did not come out for exercise.

Meanwhile, the Kogi State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has described the boycott and low turnout that characterised the recall as a reflection that the All Progressives Congress (APC) led administration of Governor Yahaya Bello had lost value.

The party, in a statement by director research and documentation Achadu Dickson, lauded the people of the senatorial district for heeding the call to vote against the recall.

He described the failure of the recall exercise as an indication that the present administration was not popular, having inflicted poverty, hardship and suffering on the people.

The PDP said the administration had not been sensitive to the plight of the people, who, as civil servants, were owed salaries for close to 20 months.

In spite of the resources that accrued to the present administration, the PDP lamented that no visible development had been witnessed under the Bello’s administration, saying the failure of the recall was a signal that the people had bid the administration goodbye.