Court Sacks Dino Melaye as Senator representing Kogi West, orders fresh election

Court Sacks Dino Melaye as Senator representing Kogi West, orders fresh election

 

The Kogi State National Assembly/State Assembly Elections petitions tribunal has sacked Dino Melaye as the Senator representing Kogi west senatorial district.

This was in a judgement delivered on Friday by a three-man panel led by Justice A. O. Chijioke.

The tribunal in a unanimous judgment upheld Senator Smart Adeyemi’s ground and ordered for fresh election in the senatorial district.

Senator Melaye of the  Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was declared a winner in the February 2019 National Assembly election but Senator Smart Adeyemi of the All Progressives Congress (APC) approached the tribunal.

Adeyemi challenged INEC’s declaration citing, irregularities, over voting and non-compliance with the electoral acts.

Mr Melaye’s closest rival, Smart Adeyemi of the APC, had challenged his victory at the tribunal.

Mr Melaye was first elected to the House of Representatives in 2007 to represent Kabba/Ijumu federal constituency. He served two terms and later won election as a senator in 2015. He was declared winner of the February 2019 to serve another term in the Senate.