Kogi West: Melaye petitions INEC, seeks cancellation of results

The candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in weekend Kogi West Senatorial rerun election, Dino Melaye, has petitioned the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Melaye who stormed INEC headquarters in Abuja on Wednesday in the company of his lawyer, Tobechukwu Nweke, is demanding for the cancellation of the election.

In the petition dated November 18, 2019, and entitled: “A call for the cancellation of the Election for Kogi West Senatorial District held on November 16, 2019, in certain areas,” Senator Melaye said the election which has since been declared inconclusive by the INEC was fraught with malpractices.

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His petition reads in part: “Sequel to the above mentioned spread violence, gunshots and killings, disruption of the election, snatching of ballots, multiple thumb printing, several electoral malpractices, irregularities and total sabotage of the electoral process cut across all the seven Local Government Areas in Kogi State which were demonstrated in the video footages attached herein, and the facts in paragraphs 1-5 above which reveals that the election was not conducted in Kogi State Senatorial District, in substantial compliance with the dictates of the Electoral Act, 2010 (as amended) as well as the requisite Guidelines and Regulations issued for the election, we urge the commission to cancel the entire election to the Senate of Kogi West Senatorial District held on November 16 2019.”

INEC National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education, Festus Okoye who received the petition on behalf of the INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmoud Yakubu, said the Commission would look into the petition and take necessary action.