Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State has celebrated the election of Senator Dino Melaye, representing Kogi West in the National Assembly by the Court of Appeal on Friday which upheld the earlier judgment of the Election Tribunal. Bello was full of joy that his political archrival is out of the way through the court. The Kogi governor, therefore, thanked the court of Appeal for the decision to ensure that Senator Melaye is out of the federal legislature.
Accordingly, Governor Bello commended the Court of Appeal for upholding the judgement of the Kogi State National Assembly Election Tribunal which nullified victory of Melaye in the Kogi West Senatorial election.
Governor Bello in a statement in Lokoja on Friday by his Chief Press Secretary, Onogwu Muhammed, – ”Kogi West Appeal Court Verdict: Attestation that Judiciary is Impartial,” celebrated with the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Smart Adeyemi, in the Kogi West Senatorial election. He said that the judgment of the Tribunal, which nullified the election of Dino Melaye of the PDP, clearly attested that the judiciary is solidly on course and working in line with the aspiration of people. Governor Bello was full of joy that the Appeal Court also insisted that INEC conducts fresh election into Kogi West Senatorial District seat in the National Assembly.
The statement read: “For upholding the petition by Senator Smart Adeyemi of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and ordering that a fresh election be conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the constituency, the tribunal, led by Justice A.O. Chijioke and the Appeal Court have jointly proved to the world that the people’s mandate was stolen in the last Kogi West Senatorial Election.
“The courts did not decide in a vacuum but acted on the basis of the merits and demerits of the case before them.
“The Appeal Court and the entire Judiciary, therefore, deserves our commendation for further strengthening the democratic and electioneering processes in Nigeria.”
Governor Bello congratulated the people of Kogi West Senatorial District on the Appeal Court judgement.