Peoples Democratic Party has directed its members in Kogi State
to vote against the recall of Senator Dino Melaye (APC-Kogi West)
during the verification of signatures of petitioners holding on
Saturday, April 28.
In a statement in Lokoja on Friday, the party said that it was not
in support of the recall of Melaye from the beginning. The Independent
National Electoral Commission had fixed April 28 for the verification of
signatures of petitioners that signed for Melaye’s.
INEC said that the verification would hold from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. in
552 of 560 polling units in the seven local governments that make up
Kogi West Senatorial District.
Meanwhile, Mr. Dickson Achadu, the PDP Director of Research and
Documentation, who signed the statement, described the attempt to recall
Melaye as “a product of an internal crisis in the All Progressives Congress.”
He, therefore, urged his party members to distance themselves from the exercise.
However, the party said it was in support of the senator’s
agitation for good welfare for workers and the downtrodden, adding that
the state had been made a laughing stock.
The statement urged INEC and security agencies to guard against
being used in the plan to forcefully deny Kogi West quality
representation at the Senate.
The party further urged its members to remain peaceful and
law-abiding but refrain from submitting to intimidation and inducement
by the sponsors of the recall.
Meanwhile, the Police Command in the state has assured the people
of Kogi West senatorial district that the exercise would be peaceful and
violence-free.
The Police Commissioner, Mr. Ali Janga, in a statement, urged them
to cooperate with the security agencies to ensure that criminal elements
do not hijack the process.
The statement, signed by the police spokesman, ASP William Aya,
said that Janga warned political thugs as well as those who do not have
business at the polling units to stay away.
He also expressed the command’s readiness to deal with any
miscreants, urging law-abiding citizens to go about their lawful
businesses.
He also advised members of the public to always avail the security
agencies with credible information on the existence of criminal elements
in any part of the state.