"Dino Melaye jittery, instigating Senate against recall"

Mr. Phrank Shaibu‎, a former chief communications manager to ex-Kogi State Governor, Idris Wada, has warned Senator Dino Melaye representing Kogi West Senatorial District to stop interfering with the recall process initiated by his constituents.

He said one of Melaye’s tactics was dragging the Senate into the matter to fight for him.

In a statement on Wednesday, Shaibu asked the Senator to rather put modalities in place to ensure that the recall process did not succeed as a proof that he was truly on ground at the grassroots.

“My candid advice is that Senator Dino Melaye should stop the filibustering. He should simply cut to the chase by submitting to the process already announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) which has the duty to preside over the recall process”, he said.

Shaibu, who is still media adviser to Wada, added that Senator Melaye’s attempt to stop the recall process through the courts and his colleagues at the National Assembly, gives the impression that the outspoken Senator was not on ground at the grassroots.

 “If truly the Kogi West Senator is on ground at the grassroots I don’t see why he has to go to the court to stop the recall process or plead with his colleagues to intervene.
“Instead, I expect him to prove his popularity and the fact that he is at home with his constituents by submitting to the process”, he said.

Shaibu further decried a situation whereby elected officials carry on as though they were not accountable to the people who elected them into office in the first place, pointing out that such tendencies had often promoted impunity in the polity.

“Our elected officials carry on as though they are not answerable to the grassroots which elected them into office. The consequence is the pervasive impunity seen in the country.
“I am glad that the framers of our constitution anticipated that lawmakers may some day relapse into such an ugly position. That’s why the recall clause was introduced”, he noted.

Meanwhile, INEC, has kicked off recall process of Dino Melaye​.