The petition filed by Dino Melaye challenging the election of Smart Adeyemi as the winner of Kogi West Senatorial re-run election in Kogi State, which took place on November 16, 2019, has been dismissed by the Kogi State National Assembly Election Petition Tribunal.
The tribunal, led by Justice Kashim Kaigama, delivered its judgment on Wednesday, June 10, affirming Smart Adeyemi as the winner. The tribunal stated that Melaye failed to provide evidence of how the election was rigged in favor of Adeyemi, resulting in the dismissal of the petition for lacking merit.
Melaye had contended that he was the rightful winner of the election and had requested the court to declare him the winner based on the highest number of valid votes. In response to the judgment, Melaye expressed his intention to appeal the decision, stating in an online video that they did not anticipate the judgment at this level but are hopeful of obtaining justice at the Court of Appeal.
The tribunal’s verdict in favor of Senator Smart Adeyemi has been acknowledged, with Melaye expressing confidence in receiving justice at the Court of Appeal, viewing the temporary victory as fleeting.