BY THEOPHILUS KEME
When it comes to personality and general character, It can be said that Sen Dino Melaye is a man who have captured the heart of a lot of Nigerians on the bright side and maybe not also on the bright side, considering his maverick city boy lifestyle and rigid behaviors. This, giving credence to the special role he had played as Spokesperson, have I been convinced to give Senator Dino Melaye the uncommon award title of being the greatest political hype-man in the 2023 General elections, for the Atiku-Okowa PDP, Presidential ticket. Melaye as a politician cum activist has also somewhat become a stout advocate for change and perhaps a purported enemy to the current President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Debatably, Melaye by description is a type of man who at every point makes his action wildly known to whatever he strongly believes in and the values he duly stand for. This he does irrespective of political statute or social class or religious differences of which is something that perhaps makes him look beautiful in the eyes of the public to speak about, is also a thing of default that bespeaks itself about him.
In a quick context of career journey, Melaye is a politician cum business mogul, a former senator and was a member of the 8th Nigerian National Assembly representing Kogi West Senatorial District. As earlier mentioned, his social attraction; Melaye is one person perhaps every fun loving and happy person would wish to share a moment in time with, as aside having rigid principles and values, he however shows and maintains that free disposition of being very hospitable and friendly regardless of class.
KOGI ELECTIORAL PROJECTION
The forthcoming Kogi state gubernatorial election slated for November 11th has become a tedious dub horse race, as It is novel that Kogi Politics have always been that of tribes and zones. As the different tribes and zones have always been the determinant of who emerges winner in close context by their different collaboration, and this is the first time since state creation that the three major Ethnics of Ebira, Igala & Ebun will engage in fierce competition for supremacy.
Eighteen political parties and their candidates are participating in the race to succeed Governor Yahaya Bello in Lugard House. These in rank of their zones are Usman Ododo of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Kogi central ; Dino Melaye of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Kogi west; and Muritala Ajaka of Social Democratic Party (SDP) Kogi East.
At the moment, pundits believe none of the 18 governorship candidates can honestly boast of winning the poll. The Kogi Primaries held by Parties this year as successfully altered the usual pattern of two major tribes facing each other and using the third tribe as bargaining chip. PDP produced Dino Melaye from Okun tribe, APC produced Usman Ododo from Ebira tribe while the SDP propped up Murtala Ajaka, an Igala, as its candidate.
Based on voting strengths, it is projected none of these three tribes can single handedly make one of their own governor, so, the collaboration of ethnic minorities may likely decide who wins November 2023 governorship election.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has repeatedly assured kogalites and Nigerians that the Kogi State November 11 governorship result will be transmitted electronically directly from polling units to its server. Unlike previous election where there are reports of electoral violence and other infractions that is observed to happen between the polling units and the collation centre. The transmission of the results through electronic methods has Inec assured will definitely prevent such issues of infractions from occurring in Kogi 2023. By the electoral acts, any results figures on form EC8A that appeared mutilated cannot be allowed as the transmitting of results electronically to the IREV, will secure the process for the fear to be hijacked or mutilated or even change.
MELAYE’S FATE ON THE BALLOT
Sen Dino Melaye who was alleged to only have cling the PDP ticket unconventionally as it was alleged that it was from the backing of Atiku Abubakar, the party Presidential candidate in the 2023 general elections and backings for national body of the party in reward of the selfless dogged role Malaye played that he had caught the ticket. But this nevertheless, the choice of Dino Malaye at this point may as well be said to the best choice of candidacy for the Peoples Democratic Party, as there could no other person with enough popularity and exposure like Dino who can give fierce competition to the opposition. Most especially as the incumbent Governor Yahaya Bello whose eight year tenure elapses in January 2024, picked a successor a former Auditor General for Local Government, Usman Ododo, who is alleged as his cousin, as his preferred candidate among the many contenders that sprang up for the All Progressives Congress (APC) ticket.
This had usually caused an uproar within the party, but as we know in Nigerias prevailing political system, whoever the Incumbent anoints as successor it means it will be difficult for anyone to oppose or win over them in the polls.
This nonetheless, can the city boy, Dino Melaye, alias greatest political Hypman charm his way into the heart of the voters across the zones to becoming Governor? despite it being a tedious dub horse race? Can the strategy of a divided party opposition within the 18 political party candidates overcome the mammoth of the APC incumbent ? These are serious questions we wish to find answers to soon.
Kogi state in the 2023 Presidential election, APC polled a total of 73,102 voters of 56.78% making PDP its closest rival poll 40,359 of 31.35%. With such statistics one should be in awe of what could bethe possible projection for a winner to emerge between parties in 2023 Gubernatorial election. This we wait…
