*No basis for my recall; I have performed to the best of my ability, says lawmaker

BY PETER DURU

MAKURDI—As political  activities continue to heat up in Benue State, the electorate and major stakeholders of Loko in Katsina-Ala West state constituency have commenced the process of recalling their representative in the state House of Assembly, Mrs. Hembadoon Amena.

However, the embattled two-term lawmaker told Vanguard yesterday in Makurdi in a telephone interview that he would meet with them at INEC as there was no basis for their action.

According to her, the records are there for all to see.

She said: “I have performed to the best of my ability. All their allegations are false and baseless; and I know that what they are doing negates the principle of democracy in all its ramification.”

Vanguard gathered that the aggrieved constituents had last Saturday gathered at their council wards to append their signatures to the recall document to fulfill the laid down procedure for the process.

Notable political leaders from the constituency, including Dickson Adzaugba, former Assembly member, Tordue Yev, Dr. Daniel Amine and the Chairman, Loko  Unity Forum, Mr. Tiza Mngor, told newsmen that they were exercising their constitutional rights by recalling the lawmaker.

They further alleged that the PDP lawmaker had in the last three years, failed to brief her constituents since her re-election in 2011, alleging further that she had incessantly encouraged various disputes in the constituency.

While giving further insight into the reason for their action, Dr. Daniel Amine alleged that, “instead of bringing development to this place, the lawmaker is doing otherwise.”

Dr. Amine alleged that “to be specific, there was a rural electricity project initiated by the Suswam administration to cover, Mbatoon, TSe makaar- Ayua- Amaafu to Katsina-Ala, but instead of supporting it, she came home, sponsored some people who took government to court and got an injunction to stop work.”

In his reaction, the Peoples Democratic Party Chairman for Ikurav-Tiev 1, one of the council wards in the constituency, Mr. Kwagbga Ahoo, disclosed that “the process is not a PDP affair but the PDP has approved of it.”
Vanguard gathered that the constituency as at last count had an estimated 60,000 registered voters while the signatures so far collected were already about 38,000.