“Whether I Voted or Not Is Immaterial”: Dino Melaye Speaks on How APC Allegedly Rigged Kogi Election

• The PDP governorship candidate, Dino Melaye, has reacted to the outcome of the Kogi governorship election held on Saturday, November 11, 2023
• Melaye spoke out barely 24 hours after INEC declared APC's candidate, Usman Ododo, the winner of the Kogi election
• The former senator maintained that his vote had no relevance to the scheme of things during the just-concluded exercise

Legit.ng journalist Esther Odili has over two years of experience covering political parties and movements.

Kogi state, Lokoja - The candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Dino Melaye, has finally spoken about his votes in the just concluded Kogi state governorship election held on Saturday, November 11, 2023.

Dino maintains the APC allegedly rigged Kogi election

In an interview granted to Channels Television on Monday, November 13, the former Kogi senator said casting his vote or otherwise in the just-concluded election was immaterial.

Read also

Kogi gubernatorial polls: INEC reveals how it arrived at election result

The PDP governorship candidate explained further that he was rigged out in the exercise.

Recall that the PDP came third with 46,362 votes while the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Usman Ododo, won the election in the north-central state.

Despite claims that Melaye did not even vote during the Saturday poll, the PDP flagbearer argued that it did not matter in the scheme of things.

The former lawmaker said:

“The issue of voting or not voting has no legal status. People win elections in prison.

“Legally, it has no relevance to the election. Whether I voted or not, it is immaterial.”

He also alleged that some unnamed political enemies met to decide "he must become a distant third" in Saturday's keenly contested election.

Read also

Kogi guber: Fani-Kayode taunts Melaye over election loss, “Poor Dino, he came distant 3rd”

Wike knocks Dino Melaye

Legit.ng reported earlier that Nyesom Wike, the minister of the Federal Capital Territory and former governor of Rivers state, queried the governorship ticket given to Senator Dino Melaye.

In a trending old video, Wike said that the PDP had already shot itself in the foot by giving Melaye the governorship ticket in Kogi state.

According to Wike, Melaye does not have what it takes to be a governor.

Shehu Sani reacts as Ajaka says he won't go to court

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that the ex-Kaduna senator, Shehu Sani, reacted to the statement made by the Social Democratic Party governorship candidate in Kogi state, Murtala Ajaka, that he would not go to court.

Ajaka said the off-cycle governorship election was rigged but would not challenge the outcome in court.

Sani said what Ajaka meant when he said he wouldn't go to court was that the "Judiciary is the Uzodimma of the common man."

Read also

“He must become distant third”: Melaye reveals how his position was allegedly determined

Gov-elect Ododo thanks Yahaya Bello

Meanwhile, Ododo gave thanks to God for his electoral victory.

Sharing a video of the moment INEC declared him the winner of the 2023 Kogi state governorship election, Ododo prayed for blessing for Kogi state and Nigeria.

In the video, loyalists of the ruling APC celebrated with him while he warmly embraced his mentor, Governor Yahaya Bello.

Source: Legit.ng