Smart Adeyemi defeats Dino Melaye, emerges Kogi West Senatorial district winner

APC candidate in the rerun of the Kogi West senatorial district election which held on Saturday November 30th, Smart Adeyemi, has been declared winner by INEC.

The Returning Officer of the election, Professor Olajide Lawal, announced this at the collation centre in Kogi State. According to Professor Lawal, Adeyemi polled a total of 88,373 votes to beat Senator Dino Melaye of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who scored 62,133 votes.

Lawal said Ambassador Rufus Aiyenigba of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) came third in the poll with 659 votes followed by John Olabode and Adeyemi Taiwo of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and Nigeria Elements Progressive Party (NEPP who) garnered 262 and 119 votes respectively.

But, Melaye on his Twitter page on Sunday said, “Congratulating Smart Adeyemi will amount to congratulating an armed robber after a successful operation. SDM.

“I want to particularly thank God almighty that he preserved my life after 5 attempted assassinations, combined forces of security agencies, INEC, federal, state and LG powers. I was fought on land, in the air and spiritually. It was not about election but my life. God, I thank you.

“I will challenge the temporal and evaporative victory of Adeyemi at the Tribunal. Victory attained by violence and fraud is tantamount to defeat, for it is momentary. It is not about Dino MELAYE, it is about Nigeria and our electoral system. I stay the course, not over yet.”

“The reaction of men and women of goodwill all over Nigeria especially the wonderful people of Kogi west who truly voted for me is a testimony that God is with me and with us all. I won the election