Melaye’s recall fails to sway voters

The much-hyped verification for the recall of Senator Dino Melaye, representing Kogi West, yesterday, was greeted by apathy, as most of the constituents stayed away.The exercise, scheduled to start at 8:00 a.m., was yet to commence as at 10:00 a.m. at Lokongoma/Phase1. Also, at Unit 001, Mammy Market, opposite Chari Maigumeri Barracks, no petitioner was on the queue. The electoral officer on duty said pockets of voters only visited to check their names and went back.

At the Lokoja Club, Unit 016 in Ward A of the Lokoja Local Council, only two out of the 875 petitioners that signed the recall turned out for verification as at 10:00 a.m.At the Ukwo Okoriko Compound, Unit 003 in Kogi/Kotonkarfe Council, only 18 petitioners out of the 440 that appended their signatures for the recall had been verified as at 11:00 a.m. when our reporter visited.

At Ohagabi, Unit 003 in Kogi/Kotonkarfe Council, only 43 out of 500 petitioners turned out as at 11:33 a.m., while at Oworo Ward E, Unit 012 in Lokoja LGA, only 40 out of 500 petitioners were verified as at 12:00 p.m. At Felele, Unit 004, Ward 8 in Lokoja, none of the 815 petitioners that signed the recall turned out as at 12:27 p.m.

Meanwhile, the National Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in charge of Kogi, Kwara and Nasarawa States, Mohammed Haruna, has said the body would be fair.

Mohammed, who spoke after monitoring the exercise in Lokoja, said the Commission has no special interest in who loses or wins. “I’m very impressed with the conduct. It was peaceful. I can assure you absolutely that nothing untoward would happen. That is why we have said that observers and journalists should monitor the exercise. Whatever happens at the polling units is what would be taken at the end of the day,” he added.