Melaye: Yahaya Bello Has Bribed INEC Not to Hold Kogi West Reelection on November 16

• Says alleged attempts to bribe INEC shows that APC nad its candidates are unpopular.
• Melaye says Kogi West election rerun will be decided by the people through popular, free, credible and fair election process.

The lawmaker representing Kogi West Senatorial District, Dino Melaye has alleged that the Kogi Governor, Yahaya Bello has bribed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) not to hold Kogi West senatorial election on November 16.

iDONSABI reports that the Court Of Appeal had upheld the earlier judgment of the Kogi State National Assembly Election Tribunal nullifying Melaye’s election. His election was challenged by Smart Adeyemi of the All Progressives Congress (APC)

Melaye in a statement issued in Lokoja, the state capital stated that Governor Bello and his party, the APC are apparently threatened by the widespread popularity and rising acceptance of Senator Dino Melaye and People’s Democratic Party(PDP) by the majority of his Senatorial District.

READ: Melaye: Court Judgement Revealed PDP’s Manipulation – Yahaya Bello

He also alleged that Governor Bello had launched serious lobby, bribe as a strategy to compel Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC ) to either rescind or dismiss its considerations on the possibility of conduct fresh Kogi West Senatorial election alongside the upcoming governorship election slated for November 16, 2019.

“The back ploy desperation to bribe, lobby, pressure and compel INEC came after the INEC National Commissioner in charge of Kogi, Nassarawa and Kwara Alhaji Muhammed Haruna, dropped the hint in Lokoja on Friday while fielding questions from newsmen on the Court of Appeal judgement nullifying the election of Kogi West Senator, Dino Melaye.

“Haruna said that since the governorship election is still 34 days away, there was possibility for Senate election to hold same day.

“Since this declaration by INEC, governor Yahaya Bello who is hellbent on foisting his candidate, Smart Adeyemi on the good people of Kogi West has since perfected plans to bribe, pressure and compel INEC not to hold the election on November 16, 2019 due to the fact that it won’t allow APC and the governor to unleash violence on the opposition, intimidation of voters, cart away ballot boxes and manipulate the entire process to forcefully install Smart Adeyemi who was roundly defeated twice by distinguished Sen Dino Melaye,’ he said.

He also stated that APC and Adeyemi who claimed to be so popular among the people have descended so low and results into an alleged lobby and bribery of INEC not to merge Kogi West Senate election rerun with the governorship election.

“What are the fears and vested interest of Gov Yahaya Bello in an election that will be solely and strictly decided by the people of Kogi West? Why is a self-acclaimed popular party, APC begin to run for election to the extent of lobbying a later date? What are the interior motives behind the lobby and bribe having previously boasted that they can win any transparent election any time?

“For the avoidance of doubt, INEC top echelons observed that holding the Senate election same time will definitely reduce its cost, time and hurdles because the same personnel, security agencies, election monitoring groups, civil societies, logistics and ad-hoc staffs will be used for the election. All they needed was just to provide ballot papers, results sheets, Senate ballot boxes for all the units in the 85 wards of Kogi West.

“More importantly, they are aware that since the nullification, Kogi West and no longer have a representative at the Senate chamber. As we speak, other political parties are willing to go by the likely November 16 date and have resolved to ensure INEC conduct a hitch-free poll,” he added.

READ: INEC: Kogi West Reelection May Holds November 16

He further said that the desperation and attempt by Kogi APC to manipulate INEC using different contact to pressure and compel its National Chairman shows how unpopular, shaky, cracked and rejected Apc and its candidate is.

“We want to reiterate our stands clearly that, Kogi West election rerun will be decided by the people through popular, free, credible and fair election process, the desperation by APC and its candidate looking for a special rigging date that will be donated is a waste of time, unseriousness and mockery of democracy.

“PDP and its candidate are ready to go into the rerun devoid of manipulation, violence, rigging, electoral hijacking and banditry. We are confident of victory once again.”