INEC TO SERVE MELAYE NOTICE OF RECALL TODAY

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) will today, at the National Assembly, serve the Senator representing Kogi west senatorial district, Dino Melaye, the documents containing the notice of his recall process.

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, recently dismissed the suit Melaye filed, challenging the validity of a process by his constituents to recall him, and ordered the commission to proceed with the recall process.

The judgment brought an end to an exparte order made by another judge of the Federal High Court in Abuja, Justice John Tsoho, which directed parties to maintain status quo.

Speaking to Daily Sun on the plan to serve him, Rotimi Oyekanmi, the Chief Press Secretary of the INEC chairman, Prof Mahmoud Yakubu, recounted the ordeal the commission had gone through in trying to issue Melaye the notice.

“We went to court and the judgement was that we should serve Dino with the petition and the accompanying material. Since that time, we have made a number of attempts to serve him with those documents, but those attempts have not yielded any fruit.

“The last was last year when we went to his residence and those living in that house chased our team away with weapons, to the extent that they had to retreat. Tomorrow (today), precisely by 10:00am, INEC intend to serve him the document in his office at the National Assembly,” he said.

Melaye, yesterday, gave a deadly blow to his recall process by the INEC on account of petitions received for that purpose from some registered voters from his senatorial district.

The Senator, who addressed newsmen on the lingering process, said based on provisions of section 69(b) of the 1999 constitution as amended, 90 days durations specified for such exercise has passed since the process started on June 23, 2017. “The petition is, thereafter, in a referendum, conducted by INEC within 90 days of the date of receipt of the petition, approved by a simple majority of the voters of the persons registered to vote in that member’s constituency,” he said.

Melaye said for INEC to still be forging ahead with a process that had outlived constitutionally stipulated duration “shows that the electoral body is out to violate the laws of the land in the bid of carrying out the wish of some selfish politicians in Kogi State.”

READ ALSO: 90-day deadline for my recall has expired, says Melaye

He specifically alleged that the State governor, Yahaya Bello and Senator Smart Adeyemi were behind the recall process based on petition signed by only three persons in flagrant violation of constitutional provisions for that purpose.

He added that the whole process would hit the brick wall in the face of the law as he had appealed a judgement he claimed, was fraudulently obtained by INEC and its sponsors.

“I celebrate the obituary of the ‘Made-in-Taiwan’ recall exercise, while sympathising with the induced petitioners who will obviously face forgery and other criminal charges before a court of law very soon,” Melaye said.

90-day deadline for my recall has expired, says Melaye

The embattled lawmaker representing the Kogi West Senatorial District, Dino Melaye, has said the 90-day deadline set for the Independent National Electoral Commission by Section 69 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) for his recall has expired.

Melaye also alleged that it was only after several attempts at his life had failed that “they resorted to this sham process of recall.

“I celebrate the obituary of the ‘Made in Taiwan’ recall exercise, while sympathising with the induced petitioners, who will obviously face charges of forgery and other criminal charges before a court of law very, very soon,” the lawmaker said this at a press conference in Abuja on Monday.

He added, “I have been inundated with calls by my constituents, friends, political allies and members of the general public ever since the expiration of the 90 days period as provided for by the Nigerian constitution for INEC to conclude the process of the recall by conducting the referendum.

“It is therefore crystal clear that by the provisions of Section 69(b) of the 1999 Constitution, INEC must act on the petition purportedly presented to it on the 23rd of June, 2017, by conducting the referendum within 90 days of the receipt of the petition. In this case, INEC received the petition on the 23rd day of June, 2017.

“The 90 days period, as provided for in the constitution for conducting the referendum elapsed on the 23rd day of September, 2017.

“The time, as provided for in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, having elapsed by effluxion of time, I, Senator Dino Melaye, cannot and shall not under any circumstance, aid and abet INEC to further desecrate and infringe on the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, which I have sworn to defend.”

The senator stated that it was in that spirit that he deemed it necessary to address the press to highlight his points, one of which was that “in view of the lapse of time, I shall no longer be in a haste to take any further step in this matter so as not to be seen to have aided any party, especially INEC, in the continued blatant breach of the provisions of the constitution which I have sworn to uphold.” 

Melaye recalled that, “On the 23rd day of June, 2017, certain persons claiming to be my constituents purportedly submitted a petition to the Independent National Electoral Commission on the grounds that they have lost confidence in me. It would interest you to know that the major grounds for the alleged loss of confidence in me, was that I was constantly speaking against the Governor of Kogi State, (Yahaya Bello), for his high-handedness in the administration of the state.”

Melaye further recalled that he instructed his lawyer, Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN), to file an action in court challenging the entire process on several grounds, while the processes were served on INEC on June 28, 2017, “whereas INEC eventually filed its defence to the said originating processes one whole month after the service of the originating processes on it.”

The lawmaker said despite INEC’s failure to file defence to the court processes, “they suddenly woke up after a court had granted an order directing them to maintain status quo pending the hearing of the originating summons. They rushed to court, filed several applications, inclusive of an application before a brother vacation judge in the Federal High Court, asking him to interfere with the discretionary powers of another brother judge, who had already ordered that status quo be maintained.”

Melaye added, “I was reliably informed by my lawyer, Chief Mike Ozekhome, that it is an elementary principle of law that a court of coordinate jurisdiction cannot sit on appeal over a judgment or order of a brother judge. It was at this point that I personally felt that it is either the INEC’s lawyers are not well versed in law or that they are exhibiting unusual desperation in their avowed determination to unseat me from the National Assembly, under the close guidance of Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State and Senator Smart Adeyemi (his predecessor).” 

Melaye said while the FHC had since delivered its judgment and he had instructed Ozekhome to file an appeal against the judgment, there were still “socio-political issues.”

I won’t allow you to use Kogi forests, Police Boss Warns Kidnappers

Wilson InalegwuKogi Commissioner of Police, Mr Wilson Inalegwu, has advised kidnappers intending to use Kogi’s forests for their activities to perish the thought.

“We shall not allow any criminal to use the forests; we shall consistently patrol the forests against such elements and shall not rest until we rid Kogi of every bandit,” he said on Wednesday.

Inalegwu spoke at a joint news conference with the State Commissioner for Environment and Natural Resources, Mrs. Rosemary Osikoya, on the sidelines of this year’s International Day of Forests in Lokoja.

Inalegwu commended the Kogi government over the recruitment of forest guards, and described it as a critical step that would control the forest reserves, which hitherto had been a safe haven for kidnappers and other criminals.

“Now that we have a joint collaboration between the police force and the ministry of environment, we will work closely with the forest guards to deny these criminals their sanctuary.

“Once this is done, if they kidnapped, they will not be able to hold their victims in the bush, neither will they be able to organise to plan their attacks.

“Let us join hands and deny kidnappers and other criminals the use of our forests to carry out their nefarious activities and launch attacks against innocent travelers,” he said.

The Commissioner for Environment and Natural Resources, Mrs. Rosemary Osikoya, on her part, told newsmen that the government of Alhaji Yahaya Bello was committed to effective utilisation of forestry resources for the benefit of all.

She said that efforts to diversify the economy should focus on afforestation much more than subsistence farming, noting that timber was the third highest foreign exchange earner for Nigeria.

“In addition to increasing vegetation, people can make money for themselves by planting quality fruit trees like cashew plantation.

“In Kogi, a lot of our indigenous trees like Iroko and others are dead. Today, we are encouraging everybody to go back and rebuild our forest,” she said.

The International Day of Forests is marked every March 21. This year’s theme is “Forests and Energy”.

Kogi Guber: I’m Governor-Elect – Faleke Tells INEC.

Hon. James Faleke and the late Abubakar Audu

Hon. James Faleke, the running mate to late Abubakar Audu, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress in Saturday’s governorship election in Kogi State, has written to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, asking the commission to declare him the governor-elect of the state.
Faleke, made this known in a letter to INEC Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu.
read more

AUDU SAGA: It has never happened in our constitutional history that acandidate dies when an election has been partially conducted - FestusKeyammo

The death of Prince Audu Abubakar, candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, at the ongoing governorship election in Nigeria’s Kogi state, has begun to draw constitutional questions.Abubakar died shortly after the election, which he was leading. The election was however declared inconclusive by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.

read more

Life And Times Of Abubakar Audu (1947-2015) .

*Audu Abubakar, the flamboyant prince of Igalaland and the man who contested four times to return as governor of Kogi dies when victory is within touching distance.

Nigerians are still in shock over the sudden  death of Prince Abubakar Audu, the  All Progressive Congress, APC gubernatorial candidate in last Saturday’s gubernatorial election.

read more

Kogi Poll: INEC To Announce Official Results Today

INEC setting up to announce official results of the kogi guber election

Reports reaching Naij.com indicate that the final results of the governorship polls in Kogi state will be announced today, November 2,2 by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). 

read more

Dino Melaye Calls Kogi State Governor ,Capt Idris Wada A Reckless Man Whose Destiny Is To Kill People.Read His Tweets In This Post.

Otunba Dino Melaye‏@dino_melaye

Gov Wada's driver on Dec,22 2012,killed his ADC,now one of Africa's best scholars wasted again.It goes to show that the gov is also reckless

•  Reply 
•  Retweet 
•  Favorite 

• 13RETWEETS
• 

11:44 PM - 13 Nov 13

Tweet text

Reply to @dino_melaye 

Image will appear as a link

1. Yaq ‏@rottyaxz13m

   @dino_melaye and dey said Security is not Our Problem...God is Watching

   Details
2. ADESAYO ISMAIL ‏@adesayo_ismail8m

   @dino_melaye. Even in walking, the man is reckless. Always in a hurry!

   Details
3. Hayatuddeen ‏@shaqdeen7m

   @dino_melaye and what's this suppose to mean,don't you believe in destiny?

   Details
4. Otunba Dino Melaye ‏@dino_melaye6m

   @shaqdeen so his destiny is to kill people

   Details
5. Hayatuddeen ‏@shaqdeen1m

   @dino_melaye not in that sense,but like seriously let's face reality,this could happen to anyone of us.

   Details

Kogi State Raises Security Alarm Over Influx Of Benue People Displaced From The Fulani/Agatu War.

Hundreds of people displaced in the current face-off between Fulani herdsmen and Agatus in Benue State are now taking refuge in some communities in Kogi.
Governor Idris Wada of Kogi confirmed this on Tuesday in Lokoja during a meeting with the chairmen of the 21 local government councils in the state.
He said that the displaced persons, including women and children, took refuge in Bagana, Abejukolo and six other communities in Omala Local Government Area of the state.
He said that the influx of people from Benue to Kogi was an indication that the government and the chairmen of local government councils must be on red alert.
The governor told the council chairmen to take `full control’ of the security situations in their respective local government and report any untoward development to his office.
Mr. Wada said that the police and the SSS had been alerted on the dangers posed by the development and had directed them to take appropriate security measures.
The governor later went into a closed door meeting with the council chairmen on the issue of security and other matters.
Earlier in the day, the Chairman of Omala Local Government, Labaran Oigebe, expressed concern over the influx of Agatus from Benue into his local government.
He urged the Federal Government to respond to the humanitarian challenge posed by the development.
Mr. Oigebe stated that the number of refugees had been on the increase and expressed concern over the outbreak of diseases such as cholera and Lassa fever.
He said that concentration of the displaced persons in about seven communities in his local government might also result to shortage of foods and other essential commodities, and called on the National Emergency Management Agency to intervene.
Mr. Oigebe, who was in Lokoja to brief the state government on the refugee situation in his council area, said that temporary camps had been opened.
He however said that the camps were running out of foods, drugs and water.
“Already our people who have been supporting them with food and accommodation have started showing fatigue.
“They are complaining of food shortages and the local government palliatives are inadequate,” he said, and appealed to the government to take urgent steps to secure lives and property in the local government.
(NAN)