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Tag: Melaye

  • Anarchy looms in Kogi, declare state of emergency now – Melaye tells Osinbajo

    The Lawmaker representing Kogi West in the Senate, Senator Dino Melaye has called on the Acting President Prof. Yemi Osinbajo to declare a State of Emergency in Kogi before anarchy becomes the order of the day.

    This followed the onslaught suffered by the State lawmakers when suspected thugs invaded the Kogi State House of Assembly on Tuesday to disrupt house sitting.

    Dino Melaye who disclosed in a social media platforms “Chat with the Speaker” condemned in strong terms the attack on the Assembly, most especially the member representing Igalamela Odolu Constituency, Friday Sanni Makama who resumed sitting after his victory at the Kogi State High Court Lokoja challenging his six months suspension from the house for alleged anti legislative activities.

    He called on stakeholders in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to challenge the anti democratic activities allegedly orchestrated by Governor Yahaya Bello, noting that the Governor should not be allowed to destroy the labour of genuine APC members in Kogi State.

    According to him “The draconian Idi Amin approach to governance by Yahaya Bello today as displayed by his criminally minded hooligans and hired killers in usurping the legislative powers and priviledges of the Parliament is a clear manifestation of satanism.

    “The unwarranted attack on Hon. Friday Sani Makama shall not be swept under the carpet.

    “We are not in a banana republic. It is manifestly clear now that the acting President must declare a state of Emergency in Kogi State before Anarchy becomes Total.

    “The economic cankerworm and social scavenger called Bello must be tamed before he finishes spending the little political capital left for APC in Kogi. We must not all keep quiet and allow this Stranger destroy the labour of genuine APC members in Kogi.

    “We will not allow him to take us back to Egypt. We must rescue Kogi NOW!!!!.”

    In a swift reaction, the State Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello distanced himself from the Assembly attack.

    Speaking through his Director General, Media and publicity Kingsley Fanwho the Governor maintained that his administration will not condone any act of thuggery, adding that anyone caught would be made to face the full weight of the law.

    Meanwhile, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria from Kogi State Okutepa (SAN) also shared his view on the invasion of the house by suspected thugs.

    “I think time has come for all stakeholders of Kogi State to be out against tyrannical and authoritarian acts and actions.

    “The whimsical and tyrannical misdeamenour of our politicians cut across political parties. Kogi has everything but is lacking everything.

    “We cannot in the face of available human and material resources continue to condone the wickedness being visited on our people.

    “Democracy is not government of adolescent by the adolescent for the adolescent. It is much more than that. It is a form of government that has no room for tyrannical and whimsical warlords masquerading as thugs.

    “We must come together as a people to liberate ourselves from the current poverty of political and legal ideas,” Okutepa noted.

     

     

  • Recall: Court fixes August 7 for hearing on Melaye’s case

    The Federal High Court Abuja, on Thursday, fixed August 7, to hear the suit that stopped the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, from going ahead with the process of Sen. Dino Melaye’s recall.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that Melaye represents Kogi West Senatorial district in the Senate.

    The suit which was originally adjourned till September 29, will now be heard on August 7.

    Justice Nnamdi Dimgba said he was minded to exercise his discretion to hear the matter within the court’s vacation period.

    INEC had through its lawyer, Mr Sulayman Ibrahim, requested accelerated hearing of the suit during vacation.

    The Commission said it was constrained under section 69 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, to conclude the recall process within 90 days.

    It earlier asked the court to vacate the interim order that stopped it from going ahead with the recall process.

    INEC is challenging the legality of the restraining order that Justice John Tsoho of the high court issued against it on July 6.

    Justice Tsoho had ordered all the parties involved in the recall process to maintain the status quo until September 29 when the case was previously adjourned to.

    Earlier when the matter was called, two sets of applicants, applied to be joined as interested parties in the matter.

    Michael Olowolayemi, through his lawyer, Mr Ponsak Biyan, applied to be joined as a co-plaintiff while three persons, Chief Olowo Cornelius John Anjorin and Mallam Yusuf Adamu, sought to be joined as co-defendants through their counsel, A. A. Adeniyi (SAN).

    Even though INEC initially opposed their application, it subsequently withdrew its counter-affidavit to enable the matter to be heard expeditiously.

    INEC lawyer, however, described the interlocutory application as a deliberate ploy to delay hearing of the matter.

    TheNewsGuru.com Melaye had in the suit, prayed the court to declare the petition his constituents presented to INEC for his recall as illegal.

    Dino had also prayed the court for a declaration that the petition forwarded to INEC was invalid and of no effect, alleging that it was signed by fictitious, dead and none existing persons.

  • Melaye: Udom fires back at Bello, says ‘manage your resources well, pay civil servants’ salaries’

    The Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Udom Emmanuel has responded to the statement credited to the Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello and signed by his Director-General, Media and Publicity, Kingsley Fanwo where he criticized the governor (Udom) for allegedly backing Senator Melaye and describing him as ‘general’ in the Senate.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that in a paid advertorial, Bello took issues with his Akwa Ibom governor for describing Senator Dino Melaye, lawmaker representing Kogi West Senatorial District as a “General” in the Senate during the recent empowerment event by the Senate Minority Leader, Senator Godswill Akpabio (CON) held in Ikot Ekpene.

    But Governor Udom, while responding to his Kogi State counterpart, said he does not intend to immerse himself in the politics of zero-sum game that is currently playing out in Kogi State, adding that in Akwa Ibom he plays politics of inclusion, where accent is placed on delivering the best democratic dividends to his people.

    Udom, who spoke through his Senior Special Assistant on Media/Chief Press Secretary, Ekerete Udoh slammed Governor Bello’s media team for not giving their principal professional advice before responding to issues.

    He described the statement credited to the Governor’s chief media handler as unfortunately, pugnacious in context, pettifogger in tone and tenor and supercilious at best.

    The job of professionally- minded media handlers of a public servant is to dispassionately present an unvarnished truth about a given situation to his principal and advise him on the best possible means of reaction.

    “We are afraid the Kogi State Governor was not served well by his Director-General of Media and Publicity here otherwise he would have resisted the rush to direct the issuance of a press statement where he was quoted to have said a number of unsanitized things about a Brother Governor on an issue that was at best innocuous and done with no malice.

    “Governor Yahaha Bello’s media team should align with globally acceptable best practices in democratic governance where leaders are usually circumspect in their choice of words while engaging their counterparts. If the Governor’s media team truly meant well, it should have advised the Governor that he will look snippy, truculent and un-gubernatorial in the court of public opinion if he were seen to be joining issues with his Brother Governor”, he said.

    He added that his administration is not interested in the local politics of Kogi State.

    “We are not interested in the local politics in Kogi State or if His Excellency, Governor Yahaya Bello has challenges paying salaries since we don’t have such problems here in our State, as our civil servants get paid regularly and Governor Emmanuel is embarking on a number of infrastructural upgrades and other life-touching projects. He is able to do all these, through the judicious application of the lean resources available to him”.

     

  • INEC pastes notice of verification for Melaye’s recall

    The Independent National Electoral Commission, on Monday, pasted the notice of verification to begin the recall process of the lawmaker representing Kogi West in the National Assembly, Senator Dino Melaye.

    The notice of verification was posted on the walls of the local government area office of INEC in Lokoja, the Kogi State capital, for the electorate to see the progress of the recall initiated by Melaye’s constituents.

    In the notice, dated July 10, 2017, and signed by INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, the commission fixed August 19 for the verification.

    “In accordance with Section 69 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), notice is hereby given that the verification for the recall of the member representing Kogi West Senatorial District shall hold on August 19, 2017,” the notice read.

    The electoral umpire specified that the verification to recall the senator would hold between 8 am and 2 pm on the said date in the senatorial district.

     

    Meanwhile, INEC said on Monday that it had been served with an order of a Federal High Court, Abuja, which asked the commission and Melaye to maintain status quo in the suit the lawmaker filed to challenge his recall process.

    The Chief Press Secretary to INEC chairman, Mr. Rotimi Oyekanmi, said the commission received the order on Monday.

    Oyekanmi said the Legal Services Department of the commission was studying the order, adding that it would form the basis of INEC’s position on the matter.

    He stated that the electoral umpire had not taken a decision on whether to halt the ongoing recall process of the senator or not as the commission had just received the order on Monday.

    Oyekanmi added, “I was told this morning that the court papers have arrived at the Legal Services Department; so, the response would be forwarded to the commission for determination.

    “The legal department is studying it and it will make a recommendation on it.

    “The exercise cannot be halted; the exercise continues until the commission says so.”

  • INEC begins Melaye’s recall process today

    Barring any last-minute change of plans, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) will today commence the recall process of Senator representing Kogi West Senatorial District, Dino Melaye.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that Justice John Tsoho of the Federal High Court in Abuja had on Thursday, rejected Melaye’s ex-parte motion for a temporary injunction to restrain INEC from proceeding with the recall process.

     

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that the timetable released by the INEC for Melaye’s recall process will run from July 10 (today) to August 19.

    However, supporters of the embattled senator have been pleading with some Christian clerics to intervene in the matter.

    A team headed by INEC National Commissioner might oversee the process, which may also involve its Operation Department.

    A top INEC official, who spoke in confidence, said: “There is no restraining order from any court. We will go ahead with the first leg. But if along the line, INEC is stopped from going ahead with the exercise, we will stop it.

    “Pasting the verification notice is just the first leg of the process, which cannot hurt Melaye in any way.

    “Even the process does not amount to removing the senator. By virtue of Section 110, a lawmaker is only opportune to gauge the mood of his or her constituents on his or her performance.

    “If a lawmaker is doing well, he or she should feel free to face the electorate. The process is not a setback at all for any lawmaker.”

    The source added: “A team to be coordinated by the National Commissioner for North central will oversee the process. Definitely, the Operation Department will be involved.

    “INEC will, however, seek legal opinion immediately it is served the ruling of the Federal High Court, Abuja.

    “We have subsisting court judgments, including those of the Court of Appeal, indicating that no court can stop a recall, which is like an election.”

     

  • Melaye: INEC begins recall process Monday

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Friday, insisted it would go ahead with the recall process of Senator Dino Melaye, as the Commission is yet to be served any court ruling to halt the recall.

    The recall process is expected to begin on Monday, July 10.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that Justice John Tsoho of the Federal High Court in Abuja had on Thursday, rejected Melaye’s ex-parte motion for a temporary injunction to restrain INEC from proceeding with the recall process.

    Tsoho only asked the parties to maintain the status quo, pending the hearing of the Motion on Notice.

    A top official of the electoral commission who spoke to The Nation, stated that the recall process will go ahead.

    “As at the close of work, we were not served any order, ruling or a process from the Federal High Court.

    “Even if we had received any order from the court, our legal unit will still advise us on what the status quo means. We cannot act in vacuum.

    “Certainly, we are adhering to our timetable on the recall process. We are going ahead from Monday.

    “Any time we get a court order to stop the process, we will comply immediately,” the source said.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that the timetable released by the INEC for Melaye’s recall process will run from July 10 to August 19.

     

  • Court rejects Melaye’s suit to stop recall, adjourns till September

    The embattled Senator representing Kogi West Senatorial District Dino Melaye on Thursday failed in his bid to stop the ongoing recall process by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    Justice John Tsoho in an ex-parte ruling rejected Melaye’s motion for a temporary injunction restraining INEC from proceeding with the recall process until the determination of suit challenging his recall.

    Instead, the judge ordered parties in the case to “maintain status quo pending the hearing of the motion on notice.”

    Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN) argued Melaye’s ex-parte motion.

    The judge adjourned till September 29 hearing of Melaye’s motion on notice and applications filed by three individuals, led by Chief Cornelius Olowo, who applied to be made parties in the suit.

    In the main suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/587/2017, with INEC as the only defendant, Melaye faulted the recall process, saying it was tainted with political malice and initiated by his political enemies.

    The Senator denied any wrongdoing and claimed he was being targeted for standing up for the oppressed in Kagi State and the many workers who have not been paid salaries by the state government.

    Melaye is praying the court to declare the petition submitted to INEC Chairman, Prof. Yakubu Mahmood, as “illegal, unlawful, wrongful, unconstitutional, invalid, null, void and of no effect whatsoever.”

    He also wants the court to void the recall process because it was commenced in breach of his fundamental right to fair hearing.

    TheNewsGuru.com recalls that the embattled senator had sued INEC to halt the recall process while also alleging that the names and signatures presented to INEC were those of the dead.

  • Melaye’s recall: Filing a law suit won’t stop process – INEC insists

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Tuesday said only a legitimate court order could stop process for the recall of Sen. Dino Melaye as demanded by his Kogi West constituents.

    Mr Rotimi Oyekanmi, Chief Press Secretary to the Chairman of the commission, stated this in an interview with tjournalists on Tuesday in Abuja.

    He said that filing a lawsuit was not enough to stop the recall process.

    INEC had on Monday released the schedule of activities for the recall of Melaye, the Senator representing Kogi West Senatorial District in the Senate, with Aug. 19 fixed for verification of signatures of petitioners demanding his recall.

    But, various suits have been instituted in courts to stop to stop the process.

    The cases include those by Melaye and Concerned Kogi Registered Voters, filed separately at a Federal High Court in Abuja seeking an order to halt INEC from conducting the verification of signatures and the recall.

    Oyekanmi said that the actions of the commission were being guided by the provisions of the Constitution and the Electoral Act.

    “The constituents came with sacks of documents which they said were `the signatures’ of more than half of the voting population of Kogi West Senatorial District, which Melaye represents.

    “They also presented a register of the said signatories and a letter, asking INEC to begin the process of recalling the senator representing that particular district.

    “Subsequently, the commission, in exercise of the powers conferred on it by Sections 116 of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended), on Monday issued a timetable and schedule of activities for the recall of the senator.

    “The first stage is a verification exercise slated for July 10, 2017.

    “To that extent, filing a lawsuit is not enough to stop INEC from carrying out its legitimate duty.

    “Only a legitimate court order or an injunction can be considered by the commission,’’ he said.

    On claims by Melaye that some of the signatures submitted to INEC were forged and that names of dead registered voters were also included, Oyekanmi said that the process of verification would clear all that.

    On method INEC would adopt in verifying thumbprints of registered illiterate voters who are part of the signatories for the recall, he said that it would be handled.

    “The commission will adopt its normal way of conducting the verification exercise, which will be applicable to both the literate and not-so-literate.’’

    He said that the commission would apply its standards in a situation where people believed to have signed the recall letter, failed to show up for signature verification.

    “If the verification fails to meet the established standards, the commission will not proceed to the next stage. The recall process automatically terminates there,’’ he stated.

  • TNG News Hour 04-07-2017

    TNG News Hour 04-07-2017

  • Melaye runs to senate, begs for safety as recall date nears

    Embattled Kogi State senator, Dino Melaye, at the Senate plenary on Tuesday rallied his fellow lawmakers to save him from being recalled by his constituents.

    The appeal comes as the Independent National Electoral Commission unveiled a timetable and modalities for the exercise at his Kogi West Senatorial District.

    The senator restated his claim that his recall was masterminded by his state governor, Yahaya Bello

    He also alleged that most of the signatures gathered as those of his constituents calling for his recall were forged.

    According to him, officials of the state government allegedly gathered the signatures from the voter register of INEC as there was no time signatures for his recall were publicly gathered in his senatorial district.

    He said, “As I speak to you, I have over 120 death certificates issued by the National Population Commission and these people’s relations and families have sworn to affidavits and these certificates have been deposited. The names of these dead people appeared on the recall register submitted to INEC.

    “Also, 116 of my constituents have sworn to affidavits that their names and signatures appeared in the recall registers and they were not the ones that signed it.

    “Also, 86 of my constituents have sworn to affidavits that they were approached that; the government wanted to carry out a fertiliser empowerment programme and requested for their Permanent Voter Cards and thereby deceived them into putting their names in the recall register.”

    Mr. Melaye cited Order 14 of the Senate Rule and pleaded with his colleagues to act. The Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, assured Mr. Melaye of the upper chamber’s support, proclaiming the recall process “dead on arrival.”

    Mr. Ekweremadu said the Constitution made recall a cumbersome process, and, as such, would be difficult for Mr. Melaye’s opponents to succeed.

    “The Senate would also verify the legitimacy of the votes before a conclusion is made,” Mr. Ekweremadu said; although the deputy senate president’s claim is not stated in the constitutional requirement for recall.

    Signatures for Mr. Melaye’s recall were collected at his constituency in an exercise that began on June 10.Campaigners said 188,588 signatures were submitted to INEC, which is more than 52 per cent of about 260,000 voters in the constituency.

    Campaigners said 188,588 signatures were submitted to INEC, which is more than 52 per cent of about 260,000 voters in the constituency.
    On June 22, INEC notified Mr. Melaye of the recall process. His lawyers responded with a lawsuit the next day, asking the electoral body to stay all actions relating to the exercise.

    INEC, however, said it would proceed with the recall process since there was no court injunction stopping it.