By Baron Ike
Embattled Senator Dino Melaye from Kogi State representing Kogi West has survived the plot by Governor Yahaya Bello to have him recalled from the ipper legislative chambers.
The Independent National Electoral Commission had embarked on the recall process at the weekend but after completing the exercise, a minor fraction of the electorate signed for the recall leaving the bulk to shun the exercise.
Out of more than 189, 000 voters who reportedly signed the register, a paltry 18,742, representing 5.34 percent turned out to defend their signatures.
The event took place in all the seven councils in the zone and witnessed low turn out.
Prof Gabriel Moti who supervised the exercise said it failed to satisfy the INEC requirement for Melaye’s recall.
The INEC therefore declared that the exercise was a failure even though the process was peaceful.
With the failed recall process, Melaye’s political profile has continued to rise as the governor of Kogi, Yahaya Bello’s plot to diminish his political influence ahead 2019 poll has whittled down.
Melaye is currently recuperating in hospital in Abuja following an injury he sustained last week trying to escape from being driven to Kogi by the police to face an alleged criminal office.
He was said to have jumped off a moving vehicle.