Students kick against stoppage of legislator’s recall

The National Association of Nigeria Students (NANS) has stated that the process of recall of any legislator should not be stopped by the courts.

Mr Aruna Kadiri, President of NANS, stated this on Thursday in Abuja on the backdrop of the on-going recall process of Sen. Dino Melaye (APC-Kogi West).

Kadiri said that NANS’ stand on the issue was to lend its voice in favour of the recall process and to defend democracy.

“We are aware that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) halted the recall process of Melaye in obedience to orders of Justice John Tsoho of the Federal High Court Abuja.

“It must be said that it is the constitutional right of the people to recall their representative where such representative is not performing.

“It is also the legitimate mandate of INEC to follow through the process upon receipt of petition signed by the required number of people.

“It is also within the legislative functions of the National Assembly to probe the use of public funds and invite any person for the purpose of such probe.

“We are not here to say Dino Melaye must be probed; our concern is if they succeed in halting this process, then it is dangerous for democracy.

“It therefore means that, tomorrow, I cannot sit down in my constituency and say our representative is not representing us well and let us go through the process of recall.

“If this recall process scales through, whether it ends up positively or negatively, it awakens the consciousness of Nigerians to the fact that there can actually be a process of recall with our PVC (Personal Voter Card).’’

Aruna said that the association frowned at the attempt by some people to imply that INEC halted the recall process because of the proposed probe of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund.

“The actions taken so far by INEC have convinced Nigerian students that the chairman of INEC has nothing to fear in the probe and in carrying out his duties.’’