BY VICTOR BUORO – Controversial former lawmaker, Senator Dino Melaye has emerged as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for the November 11 governorship election in Kogi State.
The party primary election, which took place amid tight security at the Kafa’s Hall Event Centre in Lokoja, the Kogi State capital, saw Senator Ahmed Makarfi, Chairman of the PDP primary election committee announcing that Senator Melaye amassed 313 votes to clinch the gubernatorial ticket of the opposition party in the North Central state.
According to Senator Makarfi, other contestants in the race, Ilona Idoko Kingsley scored 124 votes; Usman Mohammed Kabiru received 121 votes; while a former Deputy Governor, Abayomi Sunday Awoniyi, got 77 votes at the primary election.
Senator Markarfi, who also declared that six votes were voided in the exercise, stated that Engineer Wada Musa got 56 votes; Ojaja Gideon Enama scored five (5) votes; with Olufemi Olarewaju bringing up the rear with only two (2) votes.
However, before the commencement of voting, one of the contestants and a senior lawyer, Abdullahi Haruna (SAN) had withdrawn from the race citing personal reasons for his decision.
With this victory, Senator Melaye will be facing Usman Ododo, who has also emerged as the Standard of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), at the November 11 governorship poll.
Recalled that the outspoken former lawmaker had contested the PDP primary in the Kogi West Senatorial district last year, losing to Tajudeen Yusuf, who currently represents Kabba/Bunu Ijumu constituency in the House of Representatives
Melaye, who represented Kogi West on the platform of the All Progressives Congress during the 8th National Assembly, was one of the Spokespersons of PDP presidential candidate and former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar’s Campaign Council.
