Tajudeen Yusuf, a member of House of Representatives, representing Kabba-Buni/Ijumu Federal Constituency, on
Tuesday defeated Sen. Dino Melaye, in the re-run election to pick Kogi West Senatorial ticket on the platform of the
People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
The election held on Monday ended in deadlock as Dino Melaye and Tajudeen Yusuf scored 88 votes respectively.
However, during the re-run election on Tuesday, Yusuf scored 163 votes while Dino Melaye scored 99 votes,
dashing Melaye’s dream of returning to the Senate in the 10th National Assembly.
Stephen Onoji, the Returning Officer. announced the result on Tuesday Shortly after being declared the winner, Yusuf Tajudeen district not hasitate to extend the olive branch to other contestant as he urged them to join hands with him to win the forthcoming general election
He commended the peaceful conduct of the Primaries, and promised to continue with his good work if elected at the general election.
In the same vein, Melaye congratulated Yusuf for his victory in the rerun election, pointing out that the primary had been fought and won as he commends who voted in the first and second ballot for him, adding that the gang up was unimaginable as he gives God praise for everything.
”The primary has been fought and won. I congratulate Hon. Yusuf and thank all those who voted in the first and second ballot for me. The Gang up is unimaginable but l give God praise. God bless you all,” Melaye said.
Melaye, who represented the district since 2015 was defeated in 2019 by Senator Smart Adeyemi of the All Progressive Congress, the incumbent , in a re-run senatorial election.
Read also: Oyo PDP Primaries: Ilaka, Wolekanle, Tegbe Win Senatorial Tickets
Recall also that Adeyemi is a three-term senator and hails from the same Ijumu Local government area as Dino Melaye. Adeyemi represented the district from 20th to 2015 on the platform of People’s Democratic Party when Dino Melaye defeated him under the platform of All Progressive Congress.
He later defected to APC before he (Adeyemi) clinched the seat again in 2019 after rerun election ordered by Court.
In a related development, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan on Wednesday clinched the People’s Democratic Party PDP ticket as it’s candidate for Kogi Central Senatorial District.
Akpoti-Uduagh defeated Mamud Attah by 159 to 13 votes at the primary election held in Okene.
Akpoti-Uduaghan defected to PDP on March 20 with thousands of her SDP’s supporters.
In 2019, Akpoti-Uduaghan was SDP’s senatorial candidate , she comes from the same district with the incumbent Gov Yahaya Bello.
She has since extended her olive branch to other contestant as she urged them to join hands with her to win the forthcoming general election.
She said: “Kogi Central Senatorial District is our home and we must join hands to ensure that we build it up to a better place for all of us to dwell”.
“I urge you all to join hands with me in the struggle to give our party the PDP the desired victory at the 2023 general election”.
Akpoti-Uduaghan equally commended the peaceful conductor the election and pledged to facilitate further development if given the mandate.
In Kogi East, Victor Adoji, won the PDP senatorial seat with a total of 177 votes, defeating Aminu Suleiman who
scored 54 votes. Elder Ubolo Okpanachi scored 42 votes while Isaac Mohammed Alfa scored 20 votes.
Also in Lokoja/Kogi Shaibu Ibrahim equally picked Lokoja /Kogi federal house of representatives PDP ticket.
In the state House of Assembly primaries in Kogi central, Ovurevu Abara emerged in Adavi; Mohammed Haruna
Ganaja, in Ajaokuta; while Ajanaku Tijani Umar emerged in Okene II State Constituency.
Also, Bode Ogunmola, a former publicity secretary of the Kogi PDP, picked the ticket for Ogori-Magongo, while
Onivehu Musa Siyaka emerged in Okehi for state assembly respectively.
