The Kogi State government, yesterday, described as spurious, mischievous and prejudicial a statement credited to deputy Senate president, Ike Ekweremadu, suggesting that it is behind Senator Dino Melaye’s recall process.

It also noted that Ekweremadu’s remark that Melaye’s recall process by the people of Kogi West senatorial district is an exercise in futility was an indication that the deputy Senate president is ignorant of the constitution.

In a statement issued by the state’s Attorney- General and commissioner for Justice, Ibrahim Sanni Muhammed, Kogi government stated that a situation where Ekweremadu would, on the floor of the upper chamber, “describe a lawful exercise of recall initiated by the good people of Kogi West Senatorial District as ‘an exercise in futility’ or posit that the constituents are wasting precious time is highly regrettable and condemnable

“The Senator’s remarks in this regard and to the effect that proper advice was not given by the Attorney-General on a recall exercise can therefore only be regarded and should be seen as one laden with mischief, malice, and bad faith”, the statement made available to CEOAFRICA source .

Muhammad added that, while he holds Ekweremadu in very high esteem, being a lawyer and a principal officer of the Senate, the same does not extend to his (Ekweremadu’s) remarks regarding Melaye’s recall exercise.

This, he said, is even so as it borders on the “spurious allegations against the Government of Kogi State and my role as the Chief Law Officer of Kogi State.

He continued, “While we all as Nigerians and more particularly myself respect and support the Senate as a very vital institution of our democracy, the Senate as an institution must continue to conduct itself in a manner compatible with the status conferred on it by the 1999 Constitution(as amended) so as to sustain the respect and support of Nigerians which it currently enjoys”.

The state government argued that against the position of the deputy Senate president, the Red Chamber has no business in the recall exercise than to receive the certificate from INEC chairman who will inform them that the provisions of Sections 69 of the constitution have been complied with.

It said it would have ignored Ekweremadu’s statement with a wave of hand as one bereft of substance and relevance either in fact or in Law if not for that fact that it became necessary to set the records straight and inform the people of Kogi and Nigerians as a whole who “could be misled by the said statement which is pregnant with mischief, bias, and perhaps ignorance of the provisions of the 1999 Constitution (as amended)”.

The statement further noted: “For a start, it must be clear to all that, the recall process of Senator Dino is not a State function but that which was initiated by the good people of Kogi West Senatorial District in the exercise of their constitutionally granted right to recall a Senator representing them where they have lost confidence in the Senator.

“Neither Senator Ekweremadu nor other commentators on their train have provided any iota of evidence to support this allegation. This therefore remains an unfounded allegation.

“Following from the above position that the exercise is not that of the State, it means that the Attorney-General of Kogi State has no role whatsoever in the exercise by private citizens of their constitutional right to seek the recall of a senator.”

“Senator Ekweremadu being a Lawyer and Lawmaker with considerable experience knows the role of the Attorney-General of a State as provided by the 1999 Constitution.  The statement is in the least prejudicial and capable of interfering with the lawful functions of a constitutionally created body (INEC)’’.

“I therefore call on well meaning Nigerians to resist any attempt by the Senate to make a mockery and in essence stifle the lawful functions of INEC.”