Why I refused to collect the petition for my recall from INEC – Senator Dino Melaye
According to the reports
gathered by Premium Times, The Senator representing Kogi West Senatorial Zone, Dino
Melaye has stated his reason for refusing to accept the petition for his recall
from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). The embattled
lawmaker gave his reason in a chat with journalists on Monday, September 25, in
Abuja, the nation’s capital.
He stated: “It is clear that
by the provisions of Section 69(b) of the 1999 Constitution, INEC must act on
the petition purportedly presented to it on June 23, 2017 by conducting a
referendum within 90 days of receipt of the petition.
“The 90 days period as
provided for in the Constitution for conducting the referendum after our
verification, elapsed on Sept. 23, 2017. “The time having elapsed, I cannot
under the circumstance, aid and abet INEC to further infringe on the provisions
of the Constitution, which I have sworn to defend.”
Melaye faulted the decision
of the trial judge to elongate the allotted time frame; despite the fact that
the recall process was initially suspended as a result of a suit which he
(Melaye) had filed. It was only afterwards that the process was allowed to
continue; on the order of the Federal High Court.
He stated: “The trial judge
failed to respect that provision of the Constitution when he elongated 90 days
provided for, saying the process was paused when the interim order for
maintenance of status quo was granted.
“I am not evading the service
of any purported petition on me by INEC.
“As a matter of fact, my
lawyer, Chief Mike Ozekhome, served INEC a notice to produce the said petition
in the course of hearing of this matter but INEC failed to produce the petition
in court. “I have also instructed my lawyer to challenge the jurisdiction of
the trial court to entertain an ex parte application for the service on me. “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 aid any party, especially INEC in breaching
the Constitution.”
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