The Independent National Electoral Commission (lNEC) said it would, on Monday release a revised timetable for the process of recall of the representative of Kogi West in the senate, Senator Dino Melaye.
The commission disclosed this Tuesday in a statement issued in Abuja by its national commissioner and member, information and voter education committee, Mallam Moharnmed Haruna.
Haruna said the move was in compliance with Federal High Court, Abuja, judgement on Monday, September 11, which ordered the commission to continue with the recall process that was suspended.
“It will be recalled that in obedience to an interlocutory order of the Federal High Court, Abuja, given on July 6, the lNEC stayed all actions relating to the petition to recall Senator Dino Melaye.
“Melaye is the Senator representing Kogi West Senatorial District at the Senate.
“All legal hurdles have now been cleared and the recall process can now proceed as envisaged by the Constitution, the Electoral Act and the extant lNEC guidelines and regulations.
“Accordingly, and in compliance with the orders of the Court, the Commission will release a revised timetable and schedule of activities on Monday, Sept. 18, 2017,” he said.
The commission had on July 3, issued the timetable and schedule of activities for the recall of the senator but was forced to suspend the process on July 13, by a court order.
The court had directed all parties listed in the suit by Melaye to maintain the status quo pending the determination of the motion on notice.
In June, the government of Kogi state claimed it had got the signatures of 188,588 of Melaye’s constituents for his recall from the senate.
It subsequently submitted a catalog of the signatures appended to a petition to INEC.
Following the submission of the petition, INEC fixed August 19 for a verification exercise to determine if Melaye’s constituents really wanted him out of the upper legislative chamber.
But the lawmaker went to court to challenge the process of his recall. He alleged that some of the signatures attached to the petition for his recall were those of dead people.
In July, John Tsoho, a justice of the federal high court, Abuja, asked all the parties in the suit – INEC and Melaye – to maintain the status quo until September 14 when he would hear the matter. The court then went on vacation
But Nnamdi Dimgba, another judge of the federal high court, Abuja, on Monday, dismissed Melaye’s suit, and asked INEC to proceed with the process of the lawmaker’s recall.
NAN, THE CABLE
