Too Late To Recall Me, INEC’s 90-Day Timeframe Has Elapsed – Senator Melaye

THE WHISTLER
Too Late To Recall Me, INEC’s 90-Day Timeframe Has Elapsed – Senator Melaye

Too Late To Recall Me, INEC Has Elapsed Its 90-Timeframe - Senator Melaye By Emmanuel Ike The senator representing Kogi West, Dino Melaye has said on Monday that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has exhausted the time frame required by the constitution to recall him. Melaye said this in a statement at the World Press Conference in Abuja today, he said: "It is therefore crystal clear, that by the provisions of Section 69(b) of the 1999 Constitution, INEC must act on the petition purportedly presented to it on the 23rd of June, 2017, by conducting the referendum within 90 days of the receipt of the petition. "In this case, INEC received the petition on the 23rd day of June, 2017. The 90 days period, as provided for in the Constitution for conducting the referendum (after our verification) elapsed by effluxion of time on the 23rd day of September 2017. "The time, as provided for in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, having elapsed by effluxion of time, I, Senator Dino Melaye, cannot and shall not under any circumstance, aid and abet INEC to further desecrate and infringe on the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, which I have sworn to defend”. INEC had on September 18, released an amended timetable and schedule of activities for the recall of Kogi West senator. Melaye cited similar cases to justify his claim that the electoral body has failed to meet up with the constitutionally required time of 90 days. "Gentlemen of the press, my position in this matter has been affirmed by various Supreme Court’s decisions. I shall mention a few of these decisions to you, which by virtue of my legislative duties I have come across again and again, Melaye said. "First, is the case of NYAKO v. ADAMAWA STATE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY & ORS (2016) LPELR-41822(SC). In this case, it was contended that the period of eleven months during which the Governor was removed from office does not form part of the plaintiff's term of four years as Governor of Adamawa State.