Appeal Court sacks Dino Melaye, orders fresh election

The Appeal Court has upheld the decision of the election tribunal to order for fresh elections to be conducted.

Senator Dino Melaye has lost his appeal against the decision of the National Assembly/State Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal to sack him as the senator representing Kogi West.

The election tribunal had sacked Melaye as the representative of the Kogi West senatorial district in the Senate in a ruling in August.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared him winner of the election that was conducted on Saturday, February 23, 2019 for a second term in the upper legislative chamber.

Melaye, as declared by the electoral commission, beat his closest challenger, Smart Adeyemi, and other candidates in the election.

Adeyemi challenged Melaye’s victory on grounds of irregularities, over voting and non-compliance with the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended).

The tribunal agreed with him and annulled the election in a ruling delivered on August 23.

In a unanimous judgement, the three-member panel, led by Justice A. O. Chijioke, ordered for a fresh election to be conducted in the senatorial district.

The judgement was upheld by the Appeal Court during its ruling on Friday, October 11.

In his reaction to the judgement, Melaye urged his supporters to be law abiding.

“I just lost my election at the Appeal Court and Fresh election ordered.

“In all things I give God the Praise. He who started a good thing will definitely complete it. I ask my supporters to be law abiding as we shall always overcome. To God be the Glory,” he posted on his Twitter account.