Dino Melaye has not minced words as he denounces the Kogi State governorship election, insisting on its cancellation due to what he describes as a “shameful” conduct.
The candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) made this statement at a press conference in Lokoja on Sunday, coinciding with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) tallying results for the election.
‘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 PDP candidate said.
‘It is shameful that the unhealthy INEC refuse to realise, ameliorate or palliate the problems they created in the last presidential and governorship elections.’
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‘Yesterday in the five local governments of the central senatorial district in Kogi state, there was no election. Surprisingly, accreditation was done manually, the BVAS was not used. Prepared sheets manifested even before accreditation took place and evidence is all over the media.’
‘So, INEC as a matter of urgency must cancel the election. In many areas where I won, my agents were told there were no available result sheets to enter the result and we have evidence to back up these claims.’
‘As I speak to you, it is shameful that this is what our democracy has descended to. INEC has manifested more than before, that they cannot be trusted, they are biased, they are compromised, and they cannot be a neutral umpire.’
‘INEC officials and youth corps members were caught yesterday with prepared result sheets even before the commencement of the processes. A youth corps member was arrested with a prepared result and N1 million in his bag.’
Melaye’s reaction comes in the wake of social media being flooded with result sheets for the Kogi governorship election, surfacing before the actual voting began.
The commission promptly addressed the issue, reassuring Nigerians of its commitment to investigating the matter.
‘Our attention has been drawn to a report that filled result sheets were discovered in some polling units in Kogi State,’ the commission said on X. ‘The Commission views this situation seriously.’