Kogi West: Dino Melaye Loses Seat, Praises God
- Appeal Court orders fresh polls
BY VICTOR BUORO, ABUJA – Controversial lawmaker, Dino Melaye, representing Kogi West Senatorial district in the National Assembly, has lost his appeal against the Election Tribunal ruling that sacked him from the Senate about two months ago.
A three-man panel led by Justice A. O. Chijioke had, in a unanimous judgment accepted grounds of appeal by the All Progressives Congress (APC)’s candidate, Senator Smart Adeyemi and ordered for fresh election in the senatorial district.
Dissatisfied with the Justice Chijioke-led Tribunal’s ruling, Senator Melaye approached the Appeal Court to reverse the decision.
On Friday, the Appeal Court, in dismissing Dino Melate’s appeal, eventually upheld the Tribunal’s judgment and therefore ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct a fresh election within 90 days.
The Kogi State National Assembly/State Assembly election petition Tribunal sitting in Abuja, had in August nullified Melaye’s election as a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
INEC had declared Melaye, representing the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), winner of the February 23, 2019 National Assembly poll. He polled 85,395 votes to beat APC’s Smart Adeyemi who scored 66,901 votes.
Adeyemi, who rejected the results announced by the electoral umpire, later approached the tribunal to challenge Melaye’s victory and Friday’s Appeal Court ruling means the combatants are returning to the battled filed for another round of electoral contestation.
However, reacting to the nullification of his election by the Appeal Court, Senator Melaye said he would surely overcome given that the court has ordered a re-run election for the seat.
According to him, God alone be praised for the development, adding the he was sure God would surely complete what He had started.
The Embattled Senator urged his supporters to be law-abiding, assuring them of victory at the re-run poll.
“I just lost my election at the Appeal Court and fresh election ordered. In all things, I give God the Praise. He who started a good thing will definitely complete it. I ask my supporters to be law abiding as we shall always overcome. To God be the Glory,” he said on his tweeter handle
