…threatens to commence recall
Some constituents of Ede Dafinone, Senator representing Delta Central, have threatened to commence the legislator’s recall from the National Assembly; a move, a public affairs analyst, Thompson Ovara said, ‘is a prelude to reintroduce Senate Omo-Agege to the Red Chamber, having failed in his gubernatorial ambition’. Ovara further said that it is even more difficult for Omo-Agege to relaunch his gubernatorial bid with the cross carpeting of Governor Sheriff Oborevwori to APC, the party Omo-Agege had sway and was the candidate in 2023.
Dafinone was elected Senator on the All Progressives Congress (APC) platform in 2023.
The recall move is being championed by the Delta State chapter of the Nigeria Polling Unit Forum, led by Nicholas Evwienure. The group is accusing the representative of non-performance.
Evwienure, who spoke at a press briefing in Asaba on Friday, said the group is also demanding Dafinone’s resignation.
“We, the eligible registered voters across party lines of Delta central’s electoral district, are appealing to the senator representing Delta central, Ede Dafinone, to resign honourably or face recall,” he said.
Abel John-Gold, one of the constituents, expressed support for the process.
“Ede is sleeping in the senate, Ede has failed us, I strongly support the recall of Senator Ede Dafinone,” John-Gold said.
“He has failed in every ramification. He even forgot those who worked for him, he forgot those who campaigned for him. He forgot all his supporters.”
However, Nelson Egware, another constituent, said it is too early to judge the lawmaker’s performance.
“For me, he has not done badly, because you cannot use two years to gauge the performance of a legislator,” he said.
Another constituent, Josephine Omo-Dion, also pleaded for patience.
“I don’t think it’s necessary at this stage because he still has like two more years to go,” she said.
“He should be given time to bring in more things. At the end of these two years, if he is seen not to have made much impact, the electorate, which includes me, will decide to send him back there or not.”
A recall is a process that allows voters to remove a serving lawmaker before the end of their tenure.
Adelabu Bodjor, Chief of Staff to the Senator, dismissed the move as “dead on arrival”.
In September 2024, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced that it has received several requests from groups seeking the recall of their representatives in the national and state legislatures.
In a statement, Sam Olumekun, INEC national commissioner, said the commission met and approved the revised regulations and guidelines for the recall of members of the national and state assemblies, and councillors in the federal capital territory (FCT).