Former Kogi State Deputy Governor, Yomi Awoniyi, raises concerns about the lack of credibility in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship primary held in Kogi State on Sunday. Awoniyi, who came second with 77 votes, alleges that the victory of former Senator Dino Melaye, who won with 313 votes, was influenced by a “tainted delegates list.”
Awoniyi further claims that 158 delegates, who emerged from the state ad hoc congress, were replaced by the Senator Abdul Ningi Congress Committee, allegedly working in collaboration with Melaye’s supporters within the party hierarchy.
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Awoniyi denounces the primary as fraudulent, duplicitous, sinful, and unwholesome, as it conferred an undue advantage on Melaye by gifting him 158 votes out of a total of 739 votes involving eight aspirants. Awoniyi warns that Melaye’s victory may have negative consequences for the unity of the party and the prospects of winning the upcoming November 11 governorship election.
Meanwhile, Melaye, in a statement, attributes his victory to God and describes it as a demonstration of the PDP’s commitment to democracy.
He contrasts the PDP’s process with the “democratic sacrilege” committed by the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kogi State and the electoral controversies in Adamawa State. Melaye expresses gratitude to the leaders of the PDP at the national, state, local, and ward levels, as well as his fellow aspirants and supporters for maintaining peace, decorum, and conflict containment throughout the process.
