Peoples Democratic Party’s governorship candidate in the Kogi State election, Senator Dino Melaye, has called for the cancellation of the election, citing “irregularities that marred the election.” Melaye made the request during a press conference in Lokoja, the state capital.
He described the election as “shameful and unhealthy,” claiming that accreditation in the Central Senatorial districts was done manually, and the Biometric Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) was not used. Melaye alleged that in areas where he won, his agents were told there were no available result sheets, and he provided evidence to support these claims.
Senator Melaye accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of bias, compromise, and lack of neutrality. He claimed that INEC officials and youth corps members were caught with prepared result sheets even before the election commenced.
According to Melaye, there was a deliberate suppression of his votes in Lokoja and Kogi Local Governments. He accused Governor Yahaya Bello and the All Progressives Congress (APC) of orchestrating these actions to prevent him from coming second in the election.
The call for the cancellation of the election adds another layer of controversy to the already contentious governorship race in Kogi State. The situation will likely be closely monitored as further developments unfold.