Senator Dino Melaye has finally lost out in the race to clinch the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ticket for the 2023 Kogi West Senatorial election.
This comes as Hon. Tajudeen Yusuf, a three-time House of Representatives member, has been declared winner of Tuesday’s primary rerun conducted to elect PDP’s candidate for the Kogi West senatorial poll in 2023.
Both aspirants had earlier scored 88 votes each during the party’s primary election that was held at the weekend, prompting the conduct of the rerun.
But Yusuf stopped Melaye’s bid to return to the Senate by scoring a total of 163 votes against the latter’s 99 votes.
Yusuf is said to be supported by Rivers State Governor and 2023 PDP presidential aspirant, Nyesom Wike, while Melaye has the backing of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who is also running for president on the platform of the party.
Reacting to the outcome of the rerun on Tuesday evening, Melaye alleged ‘unimaginable gang up’ against him at the poll.
“The Primary has been fought and won. I congratulate Hon. T.J 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,” he wrote in a Facebook post.