Dino Melaye loses appeal as court orders fresh election »

Senator Dino Melaye has on Friday lost the appeal of a tribunal ruling that nullified his election as the Senator representing Kogi West Senatorial District in the Senate.

The three-man panel led by Justice A. O. Chijioke in a unanimous judgment accepted Smart Adeyemi’s appeal and ordered fresh election within 90 days.

Melaye, a candidate of the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) was declared the winner of the election that held on the 23rd February this year by the Nigerian electoral umpire body.

Smart Adeyemi, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), challenged Melaye’s victory on three grounds of irregularities, over voting and non-compliance with the electoral acts.

Despite the court ruling, Melaye expressed hope in winning the reelection ordered by the court and asked his supporters to be law-abiding, noting that he and his supporters will “always overcome”.