We are not aware of Melaye’s lawsuit, recall process on, says INEC

Olusola Fabiyi

The Independent National Electoral Commission has said it is not aware of the case instituted by Senator Dino Melaye to scuttle its plan to verify the signatures of members of his constituency asking him to leave the Senate.

It said that it merely read the story in the media on Saturday, adding that it would not rely on newspaper publications to do its job.

The commission, therefore, said it would proceed with the programmes it had lined up for the verification of signatures of the voters who asked the senator to return home.

The Director of Publicity and Voter Education, INEC, Mr. Oluwole Osaze-Uzzi, said, “We are not aware that any case has been filed against the commission in its determination to do its work. Yet, we heard some things in the media on that, but we have to be served.

“If we are not served, we won’t stop the processes we have lined up for the exercise. As far as we are concerned therefore, the matter will go ahead as lined up.”

Osaze-Uzzi added that the process of verification of the signatures would enable the commission to know the authenticity of those who were said to have signed the petition.

He said the commission would expect the signatories to come forward and identify their signatures, adding that if there were those whose signatures were forged as being claimed by Melaye, they would be free to alert the security agencies.

“It is not our duty to go and report to the security agencies or the police that someone claims that his signature was forged.

“Those who know that their signatures were allegedly forged are free to report. Then the law will take care of that,” he added.

It is, however, uncertain if the exercise will commence on July 3, when the commission is expected to release the timetable for the verification of the signatures.

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