Dino Melaye loses rerun senatorial election to opponent

Senator Dino Melaye on Tuesday lost his bid to return to the National Assembly.

He was defeated by Hon. Tajudeen Yusuf, currently representing Kabba/Bunu Ijumu Federal constituency in the House of Representatives for the ticket of Kogi West Senatorial District

At the primaries of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mealye polled 99 votes against Hon. Yusuf who scored 163 votes.

TJ Yusuf, a three terms House of Representatives member had levelled with Dino on Monday night when they both scored 88 votes apiece; leading to a rerun.

But at the rerun on Tuesday, TJ was able to secure a majority of the votes.

While TJ was rooting for Nyesom Wike in the state, Dino Melaye was backing Atiku Abubakar, turning the game to a royal rumble of two influential presidential candidates of the party.

TJ however was able to draw sympathy from the camp of the former governor, Ibrahim Idris whose favourite candidate, Sam Aro, polled 72 votes on the first run of the senate primary on Monday.

The Sam Aro’s bloc vote swung the election in favour of TJ Yusuf and permanently sealed Dino Melaye’s fate as far as 2023 Senatorial ambition is concerned