Drama as Dino Melaye dodges attempts by INEC to serve him recall process

Officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Tuesday stormed the National Assembly complex to formally notify Senator Dino Melaye of a recall petition against him.

However, drama ensued as they attempted to perform their function amid a seeming hide and seek between the embattled Senator and the INEC officials.

Melaye, who seemed to have gotten wind of the plans by INEC to serve him notice of his recall literally abandoned his office at the second floor of the new wing of Senate to avoid taking receipt of the documents.

The lawmaker representing Kogi West had in the previous day addressed the media to fault the procedure by INEC on his recall bid, stating that he had never been allowed the privilege of seeing the petition written against him by members of his constituents to warrant the action by INEC to start a process of recalling him.

Melaye was at the Plenary when officials of INEC came calling, whereas, he made attempts to avoid them just as the officials scampered around the Senate complex to hand over the documents to him.

When INEC officials could not locate him in the office, they made efforts to ambush him at the plenary but again could not track down the Senator who took a back door at the plenary to escape.

INEC recently resumed the recall process after a court ruled against the senator who tried to stop the recall. Melaye, representing Kogi West Senatorial District, is facing a recall by his constituents who in a petition on June 23 called on INEC to recall him.

Melaye had on Monday addressed the media averring that the “purported’’ petition from INEC amounted to breach of the 1999 Constitution (amended).

He had described the recall process by INEC as made in Taiwan, stating, “I celebrate the made in Taiwan recall exercise while sympathizing with the induced petitioners who will obviously face charges of forgery and other criminal charges very soon: Melaye had argued, “The 90 days period as provided for in the Constitution for conducting the referendum after our verification, elapsed on Sept. 23, 2017.”

He said INEC no longer has the moral justification to pursue the process of his recall since it fell behind on requirement of the constitution.