The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja on Friday nullified the election of Dino Melaye as the Senator representing Kogi West Senatorial District in the National Assembly .

Melaye, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was declared the winner of the February election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

His victory was however challenged in court by Mr. Smart Adeyemi of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on three grounds of irregularities, over voting and non-compliance with the electoral acts.

The Appeal Court had on September 24, 2019 reserved judgment in the three separate appeals filed by Melaye.

The three appeals were filed by Mr. Melaye and the PDP, praying the appellate court to set aside the majority decision of the Election Petition Tribunal which voided his election. 

In a unanimous judgment, the three-man panel led by Justice A. O. Chijioke upheld the judgment of the Kogi State National Assembly Election Tribunal which accepted Adeyemi’s appeal and ordered a re-election.

Reacting to the verdict, Melaye took to his Twitter handle to write: “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.”

Melaye further expressed hope in winning the re-election as ordered by the court. He called on his supporters to be law-abiding as according to him,  they will always overcome.