Several All Progressives Congress (APC) members and other partisan residents of Kabba, headquarters of Kabba-Bunu Local Government Area, Kogi State, yesterday held a protest rally against Senator Dino Melaye.
The rally, which was held in the early hours of the day, began at the party headquarters on Ayetoro Road before it was later taken to the state headquarters of the party in Lokoja.
The protesters, including party leaders, market men and women and restive youths who chanted anti-Melaye songs, had gathered at the nearby Kabba Township Stadium, from where they proceeded to the INEC office in Lokoja to initiate the process of recalling the senator representing Kogi West at the National Assembly.
They listed 18 offences against the lawmaker, which they said were deserving of his being recalled from the Senate
Reading from a prepared test, one of the leaders of Senator Melaye recall groups, Mr Hope Kolawole, said: “We the combined peoples 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 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 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 interest of Kogi West Senatorial zone, Kogi State, Nigeria, and in fact the institution and dignity of the distinguished Senate of the Federal Republic.”
Some of the infractions they listed against Senator Melaye are: “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.
“He is enmeshed in a pending certificate scandal.
“His source of wealth is questionable to us and certainly not the model we wish 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, “whether the appropriate authorities act or not, we the people of his (Melaye’s) 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 S69 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 with despatch.
Reacting to the protest in a text message he sent to one of our correspondents yesterday, Melaye dismissed the protest as “a non-issue”.
“I will continue to speak the truth till Kogi is liberated. My people, no shaking,” he said. Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
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These are civilised people following the right process to remove their elected officer. Would-be Biafrans would do well to follow the UN-approved process of secession instead of resorting to a campaign of falsehood and blackmail.
ReplyDeleteThis guy must be a joker! He labeled the protest as 'non issue?' Well, maybe, he has a way of 'solving' this 'non issue' protest. Except, the protest is meant for something else, I'll like to see where it ends up.
ReplyDelete