The candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the Kogi West Senatorial District election, Senator Smart Adeyemi, at the weekend vowed to displace his arch rival, Senator Dino Melaye in the forthcoming rerun poll in the district.
He spoke while commending the judgment of the Kogi State National Assembly and State Assembly Elections Petitions Tribunal which sacked the lawmaker representing Kogi West, Senator Dino Melaye.
The tribunal led by Justice Anthony Chijioke had in a unanimous judgment ordered a fresh election in the senatorial district.
Dini Melye had rejected the tribunal verdict and indicated his intention to contest the judgment at the Court of Appeal.
But Senator Adeyemi, in his own reaction, said that as a student of law, he has always believed that the court is where those who have been cheated get justice.
He said he would reclaim his mandate in the rerun ordered by the Tribunal, stressing that he has built the image to win the election over the years.
The two-time senator compared himself with Senator Melaye who contested the election on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
He said, “We are not afraid to go for a re-run at all because the people can assess the two personalities. They know our antecedents, they know our track records, they know who we are and what we stand for.
“They know our personalities; not only in Kogi West but Nigerians know the two of us. They know I have a track record of getting to where I am, so it is not a question of being on the street and becoming a politician.”
“No! I was not on the street. I’m proud to say that I was a practicing journalist and I was at a time, two-term National President of the Nigerian Union of Journalist (NUJ). So I have a track record.
“And I was in the Senate for eight years and the people are there to assess my performance. As to whether I met their needs or their aspirations, I have no doubt that I did my utmost best,” Adeyemi added.
He further decried that the system was faulty to a point that “it is possible for people from nowhere to become leaders in this country.”
The APC candidate questioned the credibility of the official of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) that approved the result of the Kogi West senatorial district election.
He alleged that there were several alterations in the result sheet while collation was not done where it was supposed to take place.
