A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Thursday suspended the recall process of the Senator representing Kogi West in the nation’s Upper Chamber, Dino Melaye.

Justice John Tsoho while delivering the ruling in the suit filed by Senator Melaye challenging his recall by his constituents, asked the Senator and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to maintain the status quo pending the hearing of the Senator’s motion seeking an interlocutory injunction to hear the recall process.

Senator Dino Melaye’s lawyer, Mr. Mike Ozekhome (SAN) while speaking to journalists shortly after the ruling, said the court’s order implied that INEC can no longer continue with the recall process until after the hearing of the said motion which the judge fixed for September 29.

Melaye had on June 23 sued INEC through his suit marked FCH/ABJ/CS/587/2017 which sought an order to restrain the electoral body from conducting any referendum aimed at recalling him from the Senate.

He had prayed the court to declare the petitions submitted by his constituents to Prof. Yakubu Mahmood, the INEC Chairman as “illegal, unlawful, wrongful, unconstitutional, invalid, null, void and of no effect whatsoever” as according to him, the process was commenced in breach of his fundamental right to fair hearing.

Melaye took to his Twitter handle shortly after the ruling to lambast the Kogi State Governor, Yayaha Bello. He said:

“Thank you Jesus. Status quo should be maintained says Federal High Court Abuja on the fake recall case. Yahaya Bello is a loser!”