KOGI SENATORIAL ELECTION: Melaye loses again as Tribunal dismisses his petition

The National and State Assemblies Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Lokoja, Kogi State, on Wednesday dismissed the petition filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in November 16, 2019, Kogi West Senatorial rerun election, Dino Melaye, challenging the victory of Smart Adeyemi of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the poll.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared APC candidate the winner of the election conducted by the commission after a court had nullified Melaye’s victory in the initial election held on February 23, 2019.

In his petition, the PDP candidate asked the court to declare him the winner of the election having scored the highest number of valid votes in the poll.

The chairman of the tribunal, Justice Kashim Kaigama, who delivered the lead judgment, said Melaye failed to prove how the election was rigged in favor of Adeyemi.

He said the PDP candidate’s petition was dismissed for lack of merit.

Meanwhile, Melaye has promised to appeal the tribunal’s ruling at the Appeal Court.