As embattled senator Dino Melaye is set to defect from the ruling All
Progressives Congress (APC), Kogi West Elders Forum (KWEF) of the
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has rejected any attempt to impose Dino
as the sole senatorial candidate on the people of the Kogi West in 2019.
The group made this known through its chairman, Hon. Shaibu Momoh, at a meeting held in Lokoja, over the weekend.
The group declared that its main objective was to work with other
leaders in Kogi West, to present a credible candidate from Yagba axis,
warning that imposition of candidate by any group or individual will be
resisted vehemently.
“That the news of an attempt to impose the controversial Senator Dino
Melaiye on the people’s Democratic Party (PDP) Kogi West, by the
National Leadership of the party, as Automatic Senatorial candidate for
the 2019 National Assembly election is hereby Rejected in it totality
and unacceptable”, he said.
kogi West that has been producing the senator for the Senatorial
district for the past 12 years and adding another 4 years will make 16
years while the rest 6 local government areas will still be waiting for
their turn.
He stressed that of recent the need for a shift to other local
government areas became inevitable, universal option and it has become a
serious campaign issue.
“PDP Leadership in kogi West endorsed by the state Leadership was the
first Party to take a firm decision to shift/zone the position to other
Federal constituency of the state for equity and justice, since over a
year now.
“Known aspirants have emerge from other areas excluding Ijumu in PDP and
they have being on the field carrying out their consultations and
preparing their structures in preparation for the party Senatorial
primaries expending huge amount of resources and time for the past 12
months.
“To now impose a strange candidate under a questionable reasons will not
only be wrong, unjust and unfair but it will totally collapse all
efforts by our highly respected leaders at rebuilding and rebranding the
party in the state there by giving an opportunity and undue advantage
to the opposition party APC that is in government to contend with”, he
warned.
The Chairman noted that Senator Melaiye, as he stands today, was not an
asset to PDP but a very big liability because he has no noticeable
structure and followers that can substantially erode the consequential
damage, such imposition could course on PDP in the state.
