INEC officials storm National Assembly to serve Dino Melaye recall notice

Officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission on Tuesday stormed the National Assembly complex to formally notify a senator, Dino Melaye, of his recall petition.

Thousands of Mr. Melaye’s constituents had written to INEC to recall the senator.

INEC recently resumed the recall process after a court ruled against the senator who tried to stop the recall.

Punch Newspapers reports that the senator was not in his office when INEC officials arrived.

Mr. 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.

On Monday, Mr. Melaye told journalists that accepting any “purported’’ petition from INEC would amount to breaching the 1999 Constitution (amended).

He said that the “The 90 days period as provided for in the Constitution for conducting the referendum after our verification, elapsed on Sept. 23, 2017.”

Regardless of this, officials of INEC on Tuesday moved to serve him documents in respect of the petition. 

The lawmaker was reportedly in the Senate chamber when the officials arrived.

 

The loads of the INEC documents were eventually dropped at the door of Mr. Melaye’s office, which was locked when the electoral commission’s officials arrived.