Melaye Submits Petition to INEC, Seeks Cancellation of Kogi West Election

A former Chairman, Senate Committee on Aviation , Senator Dino Melaye yesterday submitted a five-page petition and 20 copies of DVD containing electoral malpractice to the headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Abuja, demanding the cancellation of the Kogi West Senatorial election.

Also in a swift response, the INEC national commissioner and chairman of Voters Education and Information and Publicity, Festus Okoye told Melaye that the commission would study his petition and take action where necessary.

INEC had declared the results of Kogi West senatorial election as inconclusive. The Returning Officer, Prof. Olayide Lawal, who made the declaration, said supplementary elections will be conducted. He said 53 polling units and 46,127 registered voters were affected, adding that INEC will announce the new date for the supplementary polls soon.

Melaye who was received by INEC Secretary, Rose Orianran-Anthony and National Commissioner/Chairman of Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, came with some of his supporters.

The senator submitted alongside the five-page petition, 21 video clips disclosure of detailed violence and indiscriminate shootings by alleged agents of Kogi State government

He told reporters of his determination determination to retrieve the stolen mandate, saying it “is a battle of no retreat, no surrender.”

The petition by Melaye dated

November 18, 2019 and entitled: “A call for cancellation of the Election for Kogi West Senatorial

District held on November 16 2019 in certain areas”, was filed by his lawyer, Tobechukwu Nweke.