The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said 24 candidates will contest in the Kogi West Senatorial District re-run election slated for Saturday, November 16.
INEC said 24 political parties had filed in 24 Senatorial Candidates which consists of 21 male candidates, three female candidates for the election.
Melaye, a candidate of the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) was declared the winner of the February election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
But the Kogi State National Assembly Election Tribunal Friday, 23 August nullified Melaye’s election.
His victory was challenged in court by Smart Adeyemi, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Adeyemi challenged Melaye’s victory on three grounds of irregularities, over voting and non-compliance with the electoral acts.
The three-man panel led by Justice A. O. Chijioke, in a unanimous judgment, accepted Adeyemi’s appeal and ordered reelection.
Melaye appealed the tribunal’s ruling but lost after the Supreme Court ordered the re-election.
INEC’s Information and Voter Committee chairman Festus Okoye said that the senate election would hold simultaneously with the Kogi governorship election.
Okoye appealed to the candidates and political parties to conduct issue-based campaigns.
“We also enjoin stakeholders to eschew violence and avoid acts capable of creating apprehension or a sense of fear before, during and after the elections,’’ he said.
Okoye also disclosed that following extensive consultations with stakeholders and a review of the security situation with the relevant security agencies, the Commission fixed Nov. 30 for the conduct of bye-election in Sabuwa State Constituency, Katsina State.
