Dino Melaye causes mild drama at counting centre as he challenges results from Ekiti State

FORMER lawmaker representing Kogi West Senatorial District senator Dino Melaye caused a mild drama the National Collation Centre in Abuja where the counting of votes is taking place when he demanded that the results from Ekiti State be scrapped.

On Saturday, Nigerians went to the polls to elect a new president. Among the main frontrunners were former Lagos State governor Asiwaju Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), former vice president Alhaji Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), former Kano State governor Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso of the New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP) and former Anambra State governor Peter Obi of the Labour Party.

Counting is now taking place in Abuja and Senator Melaye is the PDP's agent at the Abuja centre. Early this morning, Senator Melaye contested the results presented on the floor of the centre, observing that the results announced for Ekiti State yesterday where the APC, won did not tally with the overall figures.

He therefore requested that the results be projected live on screen while being read by the state coalition officer for the presidential election and the resident electoral commissioner of the state. According to Inec, Asiwaju Tinubu of the APC got the highest number of votes in Ekiti State, with 201,494 votes, followed by Alhaji Abubakar of the PDP with 89,554 votes, while Peter Obi of the Labour Party polled 11,397 votes and Senator Kwankwaso of the New Nigerian Peoples’ Party secured 264 votes.

After the results were announced, senator Melaye protested, insisting that his observation be implemented before results from other states are taken. Responding, however, the Inec chairman Professor Mahmood Yakub said his observation was noted and would be acted upon.

He said most of the observations made by Senator Melaye and other party agents were supposed to have been presented and rectified at the ward, local and state collation centres. Professor Yakub then cautioned Senator Melaye saying: "You’re now deliberately being disruptive."