Melaye Raises Alarm, Says Gov Bello Plotting To Recall Him

The Chairman, Senate Committee on the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), representing Kogi West Senatorial District, Senator Dino Melaye has raised alarm over perceived ongoing plot to recall him.

Melaye mad the allegations in an interview with journalists in Lokoja, the Kogi State capital, on Saturday.

Senator Melaye stated that his state governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello has doled out N200 million for each of the seven Local Government Areas in his district to effect the feat.

“Quote me, Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, has released N200 million for each of the seven local government areas in my senatorial district to facilitate my recall from the Senate,” Melaye alleged.

According to him, 30 members of his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), refused to collect the money and sign the recall form distributed by the Kogi State government.

To his chagrin, however, they were allegedly arrested by the police.

Those arrested include the Ward Unit chairman in Ife/Olukotun, Mosunmola Shittu and Raphael Ibitiye, husband of the APC Zonal Woman Leader in Kogi West, Khadijhat Suleiman-Ibitiye.

“So far, about 30 persons, including the Ward Unit chairman in Ife/Olukotun, Mosunmola Shittu, have been arrested and taken to the Police Station on the orders of the Kogi State government,” Melaye asserted.

“Also, Raphael Ibitiye, husband of the APC Zonal Woman Leader in Kogi West, Khadijhat Suleiman-Ibitiye, has also been arrested in Yagba East for resisting the so-called recall form. 

“They are trying to use police to intimidate people across the state. They are facing resistance from the people,” he added.

The loquacious Senator, however, dismissed the threat to recall him as a huge joke.

He said his achievements in the Senate were too enormous to be discareded.

He also stated that the people of the constituency were solidly behind him a a result of such achievements.

One of the aggrieved women who refused the money and the recall form, Ms. Abiodun Olowookere, told journalists that money cannot buy her conscience.

“I cannot sacrifice my conscience for money,” she said, adding: “when officials of the Kogi State government met us, we refused signing the form and rejected their money. 

“We told them to go and meet the chairperson of our Ward. Based on that, they went, arrested her and bundled her to the police station.

“Everywhere they go, they are facing resistance and have not been able to get signatures because the people are resisting them.

Melaye later led his supporters on a peaceful march round Kabba town.

Reacting, the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Petra Akinti-Onyegbule, denied Melaye’s allegation as baseless.

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