Sen. Smart Adeyemi has filed a petition against the election of Dino Melaye for Kogi West Senatorial District, citing a lot of inflation of votes and over-voting during the election.
The former President of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Adeyemi, who had twice represented the senatorial district also said with the Certified True Copies of results at his disposal, it was clear false figures were announced in favour of Melaye.
He said for inexplicable reasons INEC moved the collation of results to Lokoja contrary to a ruling of the Federal High Court that the results for Kogi West District be collated in Kabba (the headquarters of the district),
He therefore asked the Tribunal to cancel the results and conduct a fresh senatorial poll in Kogi West.
He said: “That a lot of inflation of votes and over-voting were perpetrated at the polls and even at the collation centre, to ensure that the 1st Respondent (Melaye) is declared as winner.
“The Petitioner avers that the collation and declaration of the results of the election was done by INEC and its officers at Lokoja contrary to the provisions of the Electoral Act.
“In the circumstance, false and fabricated entries were made in the Forms EC8A in the various wards of the Kogi West Senatorial District and by this act invented well over 18,000 votes in favour of Melaye
“That significant instances of substantial non-compliance with the Electoral Act and arbitrariness were perpetrated at the polling units by agents of the 2nd Respondent (the Peoples Democratic Party) and INEC to effect the voting of Melaye by allowing manual voting and allowing unregistered voters and under-age to vote in six (6) local government areas of the seven (7) local government areas of Kogi West Senatorial District.
“These have gravely and substantially compromised the integrity of the electoral process in virtually all the Wards and the votes gathered there from.
“That this over-voting was perpetrated at all the polling units and the collation centre. These are very glaring as the polling units results witnessed mutilations and cancellations in order to desperately ensure victory at all cost for Melaye.
He sought a “declaration that the Certificate of Return issued by the INEC to Melaye as the winner of Senatorial Election for Kogi West Senatorial District held on the 23rd of February, 2019 is null and void and of no effect whatsoever.”
However, Sen. Melaye claimed that Adeyemi was suing a wrong person at the tribunal and asked the court to dismiss the application demanding the cancellation of his election.
