The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has alleged that both security agencies and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) have been instructed not to allow Dino Melaye return to the senate.
The appeal court had annulled the February election of Melaye and ordered a fresh one which held on November 16, an exercise that was declared inconclusive while a supplementary poll fixed for November 30.
Kola Ologbondiyan, spokesman of the PDP, while speaking on Saturday expressed worry that INEC might not conduct a free and fair election.
He said, “It is public knowledge that all accredited local and international observers, including the Civil Society Situation Room, have declared that the elections did not meet the minimum standard for credible election and have unanimously called for outright cancelation. ”
“There is indeed nothing to indicate that more people will not be massacred in the proposed Kogi West Senatorial re-run election. It is therefore doubtful if Nigerians will be prepared to participate in that re-run given their sordid experiences in the last election.
“There is already a growing consensus across the nation that participating in elections by INEC as presently constituted under the Buhari Presidency would amount to helping to legitimise illegitimacies and outright criminalities.
Read Also: Dino Melaye Describes INEC As Magicians Over Kogi Election Result
“Moreover, there are reports in the public space that the APC-controlled Federal Government does not want Senator Dino Melaye in the Senate just because of his forthrightness in defending the interest of the people.
“Nigerians recall with shock how, at the presentation of the 2020 budget, Mr. President reportedly asked Senator Melaye ‘you, you mean you are still in this chamber?’. A question which meaning cannot be far-fetched.
“Our party has been made aware of how INEC and security apparatus have been instructed to use all means to stop Senator Dino from returning to the Senate. INEC had also blatantly refused to consider Senator Melaye’s petitions regarding the November 16 election.”
