Court gives verdict on suit challenging APC governor's victory in popular northern state

FCT, Abuja – The Kogi State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Abuja has reserved judgment on the petition filed by the Social Democratic Party (SDP) governorship candidate, Murtala Ajaka

The SDP governorship candidate is challenging the victory of Governor Usman Ododo of the All Progressive Congress (APC).

The three-member panel of justices, led by Justice Ado Birnin-Kudu, gave the ruling on Monday, May 13 in Abuja.

As reported by The Punch, Ajaka’s lawyer, Pius Akubo, during Monday’s proceeding urged the tribunal to set aside the respondents’ submissions and uphold theirs.

In a similar vein, Ododo asked the tribunal to dismiss Ajaka’s petition in its entirety for being incompetent and lacking in merit.

The counsel to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Kanu Agabi, told the tribunal sitting to dismiss the SDP and Ajaka’s petition.

Agabi argued that the petitioners’ evidence was grossly insufficient, citing a Supreme Court decision in a case by Tonye Cole against INEC.

He said the petitioners only called 25 witnesses out of the scores listed.

According to INEC ‘s counsel, the mathematical calculation of evidence, 3.6 per cent of Ajaka’s witness deposition adopted in the petition amounted to a failure and therefore, ought to be dismissed.

TimesNow.com.ng earlier reported that INEC officially declared Ododo as the winner of Saturday, November 11, 2023 governorship election in Kogi state.

INEC returning officer, Johnson Urama, said Ododo had a total of 446,237 votes to defeat his closest rival, SDP’s Ajaka, who polled 259,052 votes. Melaye came third with 46,362 votes.

Urama said: “Ahmed Usman Ododo, having scored the highest number of votes, is hereby declared the winner.”

Source: TimesNow.com.ng