BEVERLY HILLS, July 06, (THEWILL) – Senator Dino Melaye has failed in his bid to stop the ongoing recall process against him by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Melaye had approached the court seeking a declaration that the petition submitted to INEC Chairman, Prof. Yakubu Mahmood, as “illegal, unlawful, wrongful, unconstitutional, invalid, null, void and of no effect whatsoever.”
The Senator, representing Kogi West Senatorial zone, also urged the court to void the recall process by his constituent members saying it was commenced in breach of his fundamental right to fair hearing.
In the main suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/587/2017, with INEC as the only defendant, Melaye faulted the recall process, saying it was tainted with political malice and initiated by his political enemies.
The Senator denied any wrongdoing and claimed he was being targeted for standing up for the oppressed in Kagi State and the many workers who have not been paid salaries by the state government.
In his ruling, Justice John Tsoho, of a Federal high court sitting in Abuja, rejected Melaye’s motion for a temporary injunction restraining INEC from proceeding with the recall process until the determination of suit challenging his recall.
Instead, the judge ordered parties in the case to “maintain status quo pending the hearing of the motion on notice.”
The judge adjourned till September 29 hearing of Melaye’s motion on notice and applications filed by three individuals, led by Chief Cornelius Olowo, who applied to be made parties in the suit.
