Tobias Sylvester
The Kogi State National and State Assembly Election Tribunal sitting in Abuja on Friday sacked Senator Dino Melaye as the representative of Kogi West Senatorial District in the National Assembly.
The Chairman of the Tribunal, Justice A.O Chijioke, while delivering judgement on Friday, 23rd August 2019, ordered that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) should conduct a fresh election for the district.
The judgement was on the petition filed by Smart Adeyemi, candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the February 26 election.
Adeyemi had contended that the election be nullified on the grounds that there were cases of irregularities including over-voting and non-compliance with the electoral act.
The three-man panel led by Justice Chijioke accepted Adeyemi’s ground and ordered for reelection into the senatorial axis.
Melaye has taken to his Twitter account to say there’s no cause for alarm over the ruling. He said he’ll challenge the ruling at the Appeal Court. He added:
“Our mandate cannot be taken. We will get judgment at the Appeal Court. There will be fresh election in Kogi West bc I will be Governor. For my Senate mandate no shaking,” he posted
On Tribunal judgement. No cause 4 alarm at all. Even if it went my way they will still go to the Appeal Court. Our mandate can not be taken. We will get judgment at the Appeal Court. There will be fresh election in Kogi West bc I will be Governor. For my Senate mandate no shaking
— Senator Dino Melaye. (SDM) (@_dinomelaye) August 23, 2019
