The fate of Senator Dino Melaye representing Kogi West District, hangs in the balance as files of signatures of voters in favor for his recall were on Wednesday submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The collation of the signatures was concluded a few days ago according to Pius Kolawole, special adviser on political affairs to Yahaya Bello, Kogi state governor, who announced that 188,588 voters, representing 52.3 percent of the total number of registered voters in Kogi west senatorial district, approved the recall of the senator representing them
According to the electoral act, one-half of the number of registered voters in a constituency is required for the recall of a lawmaker.
There are 360,098 registered voters in Kogi west and the number — 188,588 – represents a little more than one-half required for a lawmaker’s recall.
Melaye and Bello have been tearing at each other for the past few months ending in an allegation by the Senator that an assassination attempt on his life had the hand of the Governor in it, an allegation that the governor and a linked Local Government chief, denied. The Senator’s planned recall of is the latest twist in his face-off with the governor.
Undaunted, Melaye has said the attempt to have him recalled will fail. He said in his Facebook page that many of the signatures were forgeries, alleging that the governor’s aides who abetted the crime would go to jail for it.
