At the Kogi State level, especially, Kogi West Senatorial District, Senator Dino Melaye, has trounced his adversaries as efforts to recall him have fallen face flat.
But at the federal level where the Police is bent on shipping him, again, to Lokoja, in the same Kogi State to face charges in a Federal High Court, it is another ball gamefull of twists and turns.
Senator Melaye has expressed fears for his life in his home State where he has a running battle with former political ally, turned foe, Governor Yahaya Bello.
The drama continues in Abuja, but it was a resounding victory for Melaye as the Inependent National Electoral Commission (INEC) released results that showed failure to recall Melaye.
RESULTS OF THE COLLATION OF DINO RECALL VERIFICATION EXERCISE!
Total summary from the seven Local Government Areas of the Kogi West Senatorial District:
REGISTERED VOTERS: 351,146
SIGNATURES ON THE PETITION: 189,870
SIGNATURES PRESENT: 20,868
SIGNATURES VERIFIED: 18,742
TOTAL PERCENTAGE 5.34% NOT UP TO 50% PLUS ONE THAT WOULD QUALIFY RECALL EXERCISE TO THE LEVEL OF REFERENDUM.
ANNOUNCED BY THE DECLARATION OFFICER
PROF. OKENTE MORTI.
In a statement by one of his aides, Melaye thanked his constituents and Nigerians.
The statement reads: “The chain of events from last Monday to this day are enough for one to be grateful to God Almighty and all Kogi people both at home and in the Diaspora, including friends of Senator Dino Melaye outside the Confluence State and all over the world, for standing behind the Senator in this trying times.
“Needless to say that all allegations against him by the Police are politically-motivated and the timing of his maltreatment and harassment was carefully planned to prevent him from mobilising support against the purported recall of his representation of Kogi West from the Senate, GOD manifested Himself by using the good people of Kogi West senatorial zone to stem the tide against him by making the cup to pass over the Senator even in his absence.
“Despite his current travails, his inability to mobilise his constituents and also deploy agents to monitor the signature verification exercise, countless number of supporters volunteered to do it without minding the associated risks posed by the Kogi State Government. It is therefore important for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to act truly independent by announcing a result that truly reflects the wishes of the majority electorate of Kogi West as demonstrated today.
“No doubt, to recall a representative is guaranteed by the 1999 Constitution (as amended) as the right of the electorate, what the good people of Kogi West and other lovers of democracy outside the state, who are praying for Senator Dino Melaye, have done is to stop an instigated and purported recall against him because it is undemocratic, self serving and beneficial to only a few.
“It is pertinent to say here, that though the battle for the recall has been won and lost, the safety of Senator Dino Melaye in the hospital as heavily guarded by the Police since Tuesday is a cause for concern even as we decry the arrest, continued detention and trial of his brothers, aides, friends and lawyers on trumped-up charges by the police.
“We appeal to all Nigerians of good conscience to continue to help us pray for the safety and immediate freedom of Senator Dino Melaye so that he can return to his family and duty post – responsive representation of his people in the Senate – because his victory over the purported recall today will certainly spite his traducers and they may devise new ways of rubbishing him for no just cause.”