By Kamil Opeyemi
Senator Dino Melaye has emerged the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for the November 11 governorship election in Kogi State.
Announcing the results on Sunday, the chairman of the PDP’s electoral committee for Kogi governorship primary, Ahmed Makarfi said Dino polled 313 votes to defeat his closest rival, Jabiru Usman who polled 127 votes.
Others who participated in the exercise included, Yomi Awoniyi who scored 77 votes and the PDP governorship candidate in 2019, Musa Wada with a total of 56 votes.
Dino will contest the November 11, 2023 poll alongside a former Auditor General of Local Government in Kogi State, Usman Ododo who is the candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in the state.
Last week, Melaye and the governor of Rivers State Nyesom Wike, traded words over the choice of party’s candidate in the state.
According to Wike while speaking at a media chat in Porthacourt said governor of Rivers, the former Kogi West Senatorial District representative in the upper chamber does not possess the quality of leading a state.
Wike said if Melaye eventually wins the party’s ticket, he can’t defeat other candidates in the race to secure victory for PDP in the governorship election slated for November.
“When you give Dino that ticket you know he won’t win in Kogi state.
“You’re talking about governance of a state, we are not talking about drama. Dino does not have what it takes. What is he going to do? Why would Kogi people say they will vote for Dino? Are we joking?Wike had said.
But reacting to Wike’s claim, Melaye said the Rivers’ governor made the remarks against him because he backed PDP flag bearer, Atiku Abubakar against the governor’s interest in the G5.
“On recovering from his inebriation, Wike should be reminded that Kogi is not Rivers, and the people of Kogi State would not worship any foreign God.
“Above all, Wike should also understand that power belongs to God, and he gives it to whoever he wants, even the basest of men,” Melaye wrote.
“Today, Wike can take a swipe at me, and mark me down as unqualified to govern my state, but has he forgotten that he believed my Gubernatorial aspiration in 2019? Can he be reminded that I have served as a member of the Federal House of Representatives and have also been elected twice into the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“He (Wike) needs to appreciate that now that he has touched the tiger’s tail and murdered sleep, the discomfort of a bird perched on a rope has now become his portion.
“Wike, stay on your lane. I am Daniel Dino Melaye. My speciality is to tame lions, whether they be white or black, dwelling in rocks or floating on Rivers,” Melaye had replied