… As Recall Faces Setback Over Voters Apathy
From Joseph Amedu, Lokoja
Senator Melaye
The verification exercise in a bid to recall the senator representing Kogi West Senatorial District, senator Dino Melaye on Saturday witnessed a major setback as a result of low turnout of petitioners.
Our Correspondent gathered that some petitioners who came for the exercise were verified but refused to tomb print against earlier signatures, while a man, name withheld, threatened to sue the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, for including his wife’s name in the list of the petitioners.
The Verification exercise which commenced by 8.00 am in the morning on Saturday as first step for the recall process as stipulated by law witnessed apathy and low turn out was seen at every polling unit.
Just as the exercise went peacefully in all the 560 polling units in the 7 local governments areas of Kogi State but with fewer petitioners seen throughout the polling units for the verification exercise.
At some polling units, some petitioners were seen complaining about their signatures and have vehemently refused to be accredited and verified.
While speaking with Journalists during the exercise, the INEC National Commissioner, supervising Kogi, Kwara and Nasarawa states, Mallam Mohammed Haruna assured the people of Kogi state that the commission would be transparent enough as to ensure the credibility of the exercise.
Haruna also cleared doubts about the issues arising from signatures, stressing that the exercise is meant for those who have signed the petition and not for those who did not.
He noted that a petitioner who appears for verification exercise and signature not tally with the original one would be disenfranchised.
Meanwhile the Administrator of Kogi Local government, Mallan Tanko Musa described the exercise as vey peaceful in his area.
He pointed out that that the petitioners were reporting at each polling units without molestation, adding that they were there to check their names and do the verification exercise without further delay.
