Senator Dino Melae has emerged as the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for the November 11 gubernatorial election in Kogi state. The party’s primary election was held at Lokoja’s Event Center Kafaz Hall under strict security measures.
Senator Melaye won the ticket with 313 votes, according to Senator Ahmed Makarfi, chairman of the PDP primary committee in Kogi state.
He also announced that Ilona Idoko Kingsley received 124 votes, Usman Mohammed Kabiru got 121 votes and the former deputy governor, Abayomi Sunday Awoniyi got 77 votes. Engineer Wadamsa got 56 votes, Ojaja Gideon Enama got 5 votes and Olufemi Olarewaju got 2 votes.
Senator Markalfi declared six votes null and void.
Our correspondent further learned that one Abdullahi Haruna (SAN) withdrew from the race before the voting began.
The former lawmaker is set to run against All Progressive Congress (APC) standard-bearer Usman Ododo in the November governorship election.
A few days before the primaries, Rivers state Governor, Nyesom Wike branded Melaye as a wild card and said the PDP would be undertaking a futile task by handing over the ticket to the former Congressman.
Wike, who spoke on a live television programme, said Melaye lacked the capacity to govern.
“And of course, you have seen what is going on, how lists have been changed to favour a particular candidate who, as far as I’m concerned, is dead on arrival. There is no way, if what they are planning happens in Kogi State where they are giving the opportunity to Dino Melaye, this is what I tell people, you have started to fail first.”
“When you give Dino that ticket, you know you won’t win in Kogi State. Why will Kogi people say they will vote for a candidate like Dino? Are we joking? The mere fact that you are from Kogi, therefore any Kogi person?
“We are talking about governance of a state and we are not talking about drama. For Christ’s sake, PDP presents such a candidate and you mean that Kogi people want development? Dino doesn’t have what it takes for Christ’s sake. What is he going to do? He knows it very well. He does not have what it takes to be a governor at all.”
But Melaye had fired back at Wike, saying he knew how to tame lions. Melaye contested the PDP primary in the Kogi West Senatorial district last year. However, he lost to Tajudeen Yusuf, a lawmaker currently representing the Kabba/Bunu Ijumu constituency in the House of Representatives.
Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar later appointed him as spokesman for his presidential campaign.
Melaye has served in both chambers of the National Assembly.
cc: Daily Trust Ng
