Dino Melaye Contested Kogi Governorship Without Voting For Himself, Says PDP Chairman

Dino Melaye Contested Kogi Governorship Without Voting For Himself, Says PDP Chairman

Ambassador Umar Iliya Damagum, the chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), has voiced concerns about internal party loyalty, particularly regarding Senator Dino Melaye’s conduct during the recent Kogi gubernatorial election.

In an interview with Daily Trust, Damagum addressed recent comments by Melaye, who had referred to the PDP as a “once upon a time party.” Damagum placed some of the party’s current challenges squarely on Melaye’s shoulders.

“Let me remind you of Dino’s statement. He’s part of the problem,” Damagum said, referring to Melaye’s gubernatorial campaign in Kogi State. According to Damagum, Melaye did not vote in his own election. “Record this: he didn’t go out to vote in his own election,” Damagum emphasized, suggesting a lack of commitment to the party.

The PDP Chairman criticized Melaye for potentially harming the party’s image, stating that those given the party’s platform have a duty to advance its interests. While acknowledging that wins and losses are part of the electoral process, Damagum asserted that candidates should at least lose “credibly.”

Senator Dino Melaye has been suspended by the PDP for alleged anti-party activities, adding to the internal strife within the party.