INEC may hold Kogi West senatorial election on November 16

The supremacy battle between the All Progressive Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kogi State is far from over after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) hinted it would conduct the Kogi West Senatorial election on November 16.

In what appeared to be a fresh twist of fate, the Appeal Court, on Friday, affirmed the ruling of the National and State Assemblies Election Petitions Tribunal which had earlier nullified the February 23 senatorial election won by Senator Dino Melaye.

The court also ordered INEC to conduct a fresh election within 90 days.

A few hours after the court’s verdict, the two combatants in the election – the APC candidate, Smart Adeyemi and the PDP’s Melaye – has promised to leave no stone unturned in their bid to win the rescheduled election.

Adeyemi, who spoke with newsmen in Abuja, said Melaye should expect a big defeat in the fresh election.

He also alleged that the PDP candidate did not win the February 23 election.

“Dino has never won any election, it was all manipulations. But the judiciary has further reinstated our hope and that it is the last hope of the masses

“There’s no basis for comparison between me and Dino. if INEC conducts election again, I will beat him arms down,” the APC candidate boasted.

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Melaye on his part described Adeyemi as his “political wife.”

He also asked his supporters not to be dismay, saying his victory in the re-ordered election is not negotiable.

Meanwhile, INEC said it would work towards conducting a fresh election for Kogi West Senatorial district on November 16.

The governorship elections in Bayelsa and Kogi take place the same day.

The INEC National Commissioner in charge of Kogi, Nasarawa and Kwara States, Mohammed Haruna, disclosed this in Lokoja on Friday.

He said since the governorship election is still 34 days away, there is a possibility that the Kogi West senatorial election would take place the same day.

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