Kogi West PDP rejects Dino, says he’s a liability

A group under the aegis of Kogi West Elders Forum has vowed to resist any attempt by the national body of the Peoples Democratic Party to impose Senator Dino Melaye as the sole senatorial candidate of the party for 2019.
The group made this known through its chairman, Hon.
Shaibu Momoh, at a meeting held in Lokoja at the weekend.
“That the news of an attempt to impose the controversial Senator Dino Melaiye on the Peoples Democratic Party Kogi West by the national leadership of the party as automatic senatorial candidate for the 2019 National Assembly election is hereby rejected and totally unacceptable.
He said Melaiye is from Ijumu local government area of Kogi West which has been produced senators for the senatorial district in the past 12 years, adding that giving Melaye the chance would mean “another four years, which will make 16 years for Ijumu while the rest six local government areas will still be waiting for their turn.” Momoh stressed the need for a shift to other local government areas, which has become a serious campaign issue in the district.
He said, “PDP leadership in Kogi West endorsed by the state leadership was the first party to take a firm decision to shift or zone the position to other Federal constituency of the state for equity and justice, since over a year now.
“Several aspirants have emerged from other areas, excluding Ijumu PDP and the aspirants have been on the field carrying out their consultations and preparing their structures in preparation for the party senatorial primaries and they have committed their resources and time for the past 12 months.
“To impose a strange candidate under a questionable reasons will not only be wrong, unjust and unfair but it will totally collapse all efforts by our highly respected leaders at rebuilding and rebranding the party in the state and this may also gives an opportunity and undue advantage to the ruling party (APC) during the 2019 election.
“He is seen as too controversial and his unacceptable behaviours are the serious negative views of the public against him and he cannot win any election in a free and fair atmosphere.
Therefore PDP should not gamble with him as a candidate of the party”, he said.