INEC declares Smart Adeyemi winner of Kogi west senatorial district election

The Candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Smart Adeyemi, has won the Kogi West senatorial district election.

The Returning Officer of the election, Professor Olajide Lawal, announced the result at the collation center in Kogi State on Saturday.

Adeyemi polled a total of 88,373 votes to defeat the incumbent Senator Dino Melaye of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who scored 62,133 votes.

Rufus Aiyenigba of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) came third in the poll with 659 votes.

Melaye on Friday 11th October lost the appeal of a tribunal ruling that nullified his election as the Senator representing Kogi West Senatorial District in the Senate.

His victory at the February poll was challenged in court by Adeyemi on three grounds of irregularities, over voting and non-compliance with the electoral acts.

The Court of Appeal ruled that the election was flawed and order re-election.

The re-election was held last on November 8 but was Inconclusive the margin between the two leading candidates in the election Adeyemi and Melaye was lower than the total number of votes canceled.