Dino Melaye, the candidate representing the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the upcoming November governorship election in Kogi State, has raised allegations against the current governor, Yahaya Bello.
Melaye claims that Bello, who is in the last days of his second term as Kogi governor, is attempting to secure a de facto third term in office through a surrogate.
To achieve this, Bello is reportedly supporting the candidacy of Ahmed Ododo, his party’s chosen candidate, with the intention of effectively extending his political influence and control over the state.
“Don’t be deceived that Yahaya Bello is not on the ballot. Ododo is physically on the ballot but Yahaya Bello is the one seeking a third term through a proxy.
“I will not want this debate to be about Yahaya Bello, rather I would like to market my political party and market what we have for Kogi State,” Melaye said on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Monday.
The former Senator representing Kogi West expressed his confidence in his ability to unseat the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the upcoming election. Dino Melaye highlighted a historical precedent, citing the 2003 election when the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) successfully ousted Abubakar Audu.
Furthermore, he pointed out that in the 2019 election, despite Yahaya Bello serving as the governor, he emerged victorious in his senatorial race under the PDP.
Melaye emphasized that the Kogi West and Central Leaders Forum had assessed the three candidates from the region and subsequently endorsed him as their preferred choice. He acknowledged the qualifications of all the candidates from Kogi West and Central but asserted that he is the most qualified, citing his education, exposure, and experience as distinguishing factors that set him apart from the other contenders.
“It’s not debatable. I was a member of the House of Reps and I was voted twice as senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Leke Abejide is a member of the House of Reps but I was in the House of Reps 17 years ago.
“And the governorship of Kogi State is not a learning ground. It’s a place you need people who definitely must have managed human and material resources over the years,” Melaye argued.
The PDP candidate emphasized that Kogi State possesses significant resources, and he envisions a scenario where he won’t need to rely on federal allocations, which, he alleged, has been the approach of the current administration under Yahaya Bello. He pledged to focus on harnessing and utilizing the state’s resources effectively.
Furthermore, he made a commitment to enhance the education sector in Kogi State. Melaye criticized the state of the university in the region, characterizing it as being akin to a secondary school with limited facilities and capabilities. He went on to claim that there are no fully functional primary schools in the state, highlighting the need for comprehensive reform in the education system.