Dino Melaye has asked for the annulment of the Kogi State governorship election, calling the process “shameful.”
This was said by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the election during a news conference in Lokoja on Sunday, just as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was collating election results.
“I will start by condemning in its totality the conduct of the elections yesterday and outrightly call for the total cancellation of the election because that was not an election,” the candidate for the People’s Democratic Party stated.
“It is disgraceful that the dysfunctional INEC refuses to acknowledge, ameliorate, or alleviate the problems they created in the recent presidential and governorship elections”, Melaye stated.
He pointed out that there was no election yesterday in the five local governments of Kogi state’s central senatorial district, while also affirming that accreditation was done manually, with no use of the BVAS. Dino Melaye alleged that prepared sheets appeared even before accreditation, and proof may be seen all over the media.
“As a result, INEC must cancel the election as soon as possible. My representatives were advised that there were no available result sheets to enter the results in several regions where I won, and we have documentation to back up these assertions.
“As I speak to you, it is a disgrace that this is what our democracy has devolved to.” INEC has demonstrated, more than ever, that it cannot be trusted, that it is biased, that it is compromised, and that it cannot function as an impartial arbiter”, Melaye noted.
According to News About Nigeria, the PDP governorship candidate stated that INEC officials and youth corps members were apprehended with prepared result sheets even before the processes began. He said a member of the youth corps was apprehended with a prepared result and N1 million in his luggage.
Melaye’s remark came just hours after social media was flooded with Kogi governorship election results even before the polls opened.
However, the commission was quick to reply, promising Nigerians that the matter would be investigated.
“Our attention has been drawn to a report that filled result sheets were discovered in some polling units in Kogi State. The Commission views this situation seriously”, INEC said in its statement.
