Members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) from Kogi West Senatorial District, on Friday, protested against Senator Dino Melaye representing the district, demanding his recall from the National Assembly.
Apart from the protest held at Kabba, headquarters of the Senatorial district, the people also marched to the state headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Lokoja, the state capital, to initiate the process of recall of the senator
According to the protesters who were drawn from the seven local government areas that made up the district, Melaye had committed 18 grievous offences that necessitated his recall.
Speaking on behalf of the protesters, one of the leaders of the group, Hope Kolawole, said: “We the combined people of Kogi West Senatorial Zone of Kogi State, are here today to initiate the process of recall for Senator Dino Melaye. We are here to pick the forms to commence the process from INEC.
“Let it be known that all of the local government areas, comprising Kogi West Senatorial Zone are united in their resolve to recall Senator Dino Melaye and remove the disgrace he has become to all of us.
“We have compiled the key reasons below to show the world that Senator Dino Melaye’s recall is not only long overdue, but the right thing to do in the best interests of Kogi West Senatorial Zone, Kogi State, Nigeria, and in fact, the institution and dignity of the distinguished Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
Some of the allegation against the lawmaker included: “Not deeming it fit to have a Constituency Office in Kogi West Senatorial Zone, even after two years in the Senate.
“He has no projects initiated in the constituency after two years in the Senate. He is known for a continuous flow of irresponsible utterances which embarrass the constituency,” Kolawole said.
Still speaking further on the allegations, Kolawole said: He is enmeshed in a pending certificate scandal. His source of wealth is questionable to us and certainly not the model we wish for our youths to emulate. He is an electoral fraud and has been caught on audio offering a judicial officer money to decide an electoral matter in his favour.”
According to him, the people of the seven local government areas the lawmaker is representing have run out of patience saying they have made up their mind to recall the lawmaker
He said: “Whether the appropriate authorities act or not, we the people of his (Melaye) constituency, who are at the receiving end of his shameful deeds have run out of patience and are resolved to recall and replace him with a decent and people-oriented Senator.
“We understand the requirements of Section 69 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (1999) regarding the recall of such a member of the National Assembly and hereby assure everyone that Kogi Central Senatorial Zone is united in this and will achieve it.
“We hereby give the Kogi State Government notice that we are going through with this and if they will not help us, they must also not try to stop us or put obstacles in our way, in particular, everything the law requires to be done by the administration in Lokoja in aid of this process must be done.
However, reacting, Melaye said he is not losing sleep over what he called the “kangaroo recall process,” accusing the Kogi State government of sponsoring the move .
According to the Senator, rather than working for the development of the state and pay workers salaries, Governor Yaya Bello was wasting the state resources on efforts in futility.
Melaye said: “I have told our people to go and collect their money, after all, it is our money. A Governor that cannot pay salary but can sponsor protests.
“I was alerted by the people of the state about this moves some two days ago that this will happen. But I will continue to speak the truth till Kogi is liberated. My people no shaking at all.”
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