Senate President Bukola Saraki has accused the Kogi State Government of sponsoring constituents of Kogi West Senatorial District to recall their lawmaker, Dino Melaye.
This comes as the upper legislative chamber insisted it had a final say on whether the embattled lawmaker should be recalled or not.
Saraki was reacting to a Point of Order raised by the Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu who drew the attention of the Senate to the contents of an advertorial in newspapers by the Attorney General of Kogi State, Ibrahim Sanni Mohammed in which the state government declared that the Senate had no role to play in the process of recalling a senator.
In the advertorial, Mohammed said the Senate has “no role whatsoever in the recall exercise than to receive the certificate under the had of the chairman of INEC stating that the provisions of 69 of the Constitution have been complied.
“Indeed, by the provisions of the INEC regulations for the recall of a legislator, a legislator stands recalled upon INEC’s confirmation of a majority vote in favour of the recall,” the Kogi Attorney General insisted.
The Senate President expressed disappointment that Kogi Government could descend to the level of spending public fund to support the senator’s recall.
“What is even more disturbing and irresponsible is how you can spend N10 million on advert. I have been a governor when you even find money for advert; it’s a difficult thing.
“This pretty much shows that it is government that is truly behind the entire process. When a government can go about and take an advert on an issue like this, it becomes worrisome.
“There is a need for people appointed or elected to positions to show some level of responsibility. This is a very simple matter in the constitution. You did not write it neither did you invent it. The Deputy President of the Senate only read it as it is. As you said it is very unfortunate for the people of Kogi State,” Saraki said.
Ekweremadu, while presenting his position, urged the state government to channel the resources used in sponsoring the recall exercise to payment of workers’ salaries.
Kogi is reported as the highest indebted state in Nigeria, with over 15 months unpaid salaries.
“I understand that the cost of advertorial is about N700,000 and five other papers published the same thing. We are talking about N12 million of Kogi money spent.
“He (Kogi Attorney-General) is saying that the Senate has no role. I stand by what I said the other day and I would like to take him to Section 68(1)(h) and (2) of the Constitution. It shows the role of the Senate, which he says has no role.
“I expect the Attorney-General, instead of him displaying his ignorance to simply call me and I will educate him on the correct position of the law.
“So I take exception to this and I believe that he needs to refund the amount spent on this to the people of Kogi.
“I call on the Kogi House of Assembly to institute an inquiry on who paid for this and find a way of getting the money back to pay the salaries of the people of Kogi State. Kogi should constitute an inquiry to know who paid the money,” Ekweremadu who has been the Chairman, Constitution Review Committee of the National Assembly since 2010, stated.
Section 68(1h) of the 1999 Constitutipn reads: “The President of the Senate or, as the case may be, the Speaker of the House of Representatives receives a certificate under the hand of the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission stating that the provisions of Section 69 of this Constitution have been complied with in respect of the recall of that member”.
