In the aftermath of the recent governorship election in Kogi State held last Saturday, Senator Dino Melaye, the candidate representing the Peoples Democratic Party, has strongly advocated for the complete annulment of the election due to extensive rigging allegedly facilitated by INEC.
Melaye expressed his concerns and made this plea during a press conference held in Lokoja on Sunday, where he criticised the entire conduct of the election in Kogi State.
He characterised the election as disgraceful and detrimental, lamenting that INEC appears not to have absorbed any valuable lessons from previous experiences, failing to rectify and alleviate the issues that have affected the democratic process in the country as they persist in repeating these problems in both general and governorship elections.
“Yesterday, in the five local governments of central senatorial districts in Kogi State, there was no election. In the end, surprisingly, accreditation was done manually; the BVAS was not used.
“Prepared sheets manifested even before accreditation, and evidence is all over the media.
Read also:Kogi election result: Ododo sweeps governorship contest with 446,237 votes
“INEC, as matter of urgency, must cancel the election. In many areas where I won, my agents were told there was no available result sheet to enter the result, and we have evidence to back up these claims.
“As I speak to you, it is shameful that this is what our democracy has descended to.
“INEC has manifested ever than before that they cannot be trusted, they are biassed, they are compromised, and they cannot be a neutral umpire.
“INEC officials, youth corps members were caught yesterday with prepared result sheets even before the commencement of the processes. A youth corps member was arrested with a prepared result and N1 million.
“They was deliberate suppression my of my votes in Lokoja and Kogi local governments. This was deliberately done by governor Yahaya Bello and APC to make sure that even by their orchestrated arrangement, I don’t come second, because they do believe that there will be a a second ballot and they believe if there is a second ballot I have influence and tremendous support in the central and I can make an in road in the East.
“So they preferred any other person to become second,” Senator Melaye posited.
However, the commission promptly addressed the issue, providing assurance to Nigerians that it would launch an investigation into the matter.
Read also: Kogi election results: Why INEC suspended some polling units, fixed Nov 18 for fresh polls
“Our attention has been drawn to a report that filled result sheets were discovered in some polling units in Kogi State,” the commission said on X. “The Commission views this situation seriously.”
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