Smart: Melaye is my political houseboy— Dino: Adeyemi remains my political wife

Dino Melaye and Smart Adeyemi have launched into a war of words after the Kogi west senatorial election rerun.

Adeyemi defeated Melaye on Saturday after a court-ordered rerun, unseating Melaye who had previously been declared winner in the general election.

Melaye, via his twitter handle, remarked: “The reaction of men and women of goodwill all over Nigeria especially the wonderful people of Kogi west who truly voted for me is a testimony that God is with me and with us all. I won the election and Adeyemi remain my political wife,” he said.

The reaction of men and women of goodwill all over Nigeria especially the wonderful people of Kogi west who truly voted for me is a testimony that God is with me and with us all. I won the election and Adeyemi remain my political wife. Thank you Nigerians. Victory is certain- SDM

— Senator Dino Melaye. (SDM) (@dino_melaye) December 1, 2019

Adeyemi, in an interview with journalists, described Melaye as his “political houseboy”.

“When a servant steals the garment of his master, the garment will be too big for the servant… the joy of having his master’s garment will cause the servant to misbehave to people he ordinarily could have respected. The over-sized garment made Melaye to misbehave while in the senate,” he added.

Melaye, meanwhile, also said he has survived five assassination attempts.

“I want to specially thank God almighty that he preserved my life after five attempted assassination, combined forces of security agencies, INEC, federal, state and LG powers,” he said.

“I was fought on land, in the air and spiritually. It was not about election but my life. God I thank you. The forces against me are not beyound God. People should not worry about me, i am fine and will always be. I just thank God that the plan to kill me did not succeed. A living Dog is better than a dead Lion. I thank God for life. My name is Daniel i can not fall or fail.”

Melaye, who was of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2015, had defeated Adeyemi, then of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Both men swapped parties in 2019, with Adeyemi losing but getting the result annulled by the tribunal which ordered a rerun.

The rerun was conducted on November 16 but declared inconclusive and INEC conducted a supplementary election.

Adeyemi got 88,373 votes to defeat Melaye who polled 62,133.

Melaye, however, has vowed to contest Adeyemi’s victory at the tribunal.

“I will challenge the temporal and evaporative victory of Adeyemi at the Tribunal. Victory attained by violence and fraud is tantamount to defeat, for it is momentary. It is not about Dino Melaye, it is about Nigeria and our electoral system. I stay the course. Not over yet,” he tweeted.