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The Kogi State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Abuja, on Monday, has affirmed Usman Ododo because the genuine Governor of Kogi state.
The tribunal dismissed the petition filed by the Social Democratic Social gathering (SDP) and its governorship candidate, Murtala Ajaka.
The decision was handed by the three-member panel of the tribunal, led by Justice Ado Birnin-Kudu.
Nairametrics beforehand reported that the Impartial Nationwide Electoral Fee (INEC) had declared the candidate.of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Usman Ododo, because the winner of the keenly contested November 11, 2023 Kogi State Governorship Election.
The state Returning Officer, Prof Johnson Urama, who’s the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Teachers) of the College of Nigeria, Nsukka, introduced Ododo because the winner at 10:23 pm on Sunday, November 12, 2023.
Based on the introduced outcomes, Ododo polled 446,237 votes, to beat his closest rival, Murtala Ajaka of the Social Democratic Social gathering (SDP), who scored 259,052, whereas Dino Melaye of the Peoples Democratic Social gathering (PDP) polled 46,362 votes.
Nevertheless, the petitioners approached the tribunal looking for an overturn of the election outcomes and an order directing INEC to conduct a recent election in about 5 LGAs.
If the tribunal agrees with the petitioners to order a rerun, it implies that taxpayers’ cash shall be utilized in conducting recent elections.
Arguments on the tribunal
Ajaka’s authorized crew led by Joseph Okutepa(SAN) had challenged the ballot on the grounds of alleged forgery, voting and non-compliance to the Electoral Act.
The petitioner known as 25 witnesses from the 5 Native Authorities Areas together with Adavi, and Okene LGAs, and so they challenged the outcomes from the disputed polling models.
The petitioners alleged that over-voting occurred in 5 native authorities areas of Kogi state together with Adavi, Okene, Okeyi, and LGAs.
They claimed that Ododo tendered false info to INEC.
Nevertheless, the APC authorized crew led by Emmanuel Ukala challenged the competence of the witnesses offered by the petitioner.
Counsel for INEC, Kanu Agabi (SAN) maintained that the witnesses offered by the petitioner are incompetent as a result of “they don’t seem to be the makers” of the electoral paperwork submitted as displays.
The respondents maintained that the displays relating forgery and overvoting are “mere photocopies” that can not be relied upon by any court docket.
However Pius Akubo, who represented the petitioners throughout one of many proceedings, argued that the allegation that his shoppers didn’t name the makers of the displays is deceptive, including that the paperwork are licensed true copies from respective establishments together with INEC.
What the choose mentioned
Justice Ado Birnin-Kudu held that from the choices of the Supreme Court docket on the 2023 presidential and governorship elections, statements of witnesses have to be filed together with a petition, not throughout a petition.
“The petitioners have didn’t file their witness statements (of PW1) on oath together with the petition, inside the given time,” the choose mentioned whereas expunging the displays tendered by the petitioners.
He added that “the piece of oral proof made by the petitioner’s witnesses are “rumour proof” as they don’t seem to be the makers of the displays tendered earlier than the tribunal.
The tribunal dismissed the petition and affirmed the election of Ododo whereas holding that the petitioner couldn’t show that the governor offered a solid certificates.
The choose held that the witnesses offered by the petitioners weren’t polling unit brokers or INEC presiding officers.
Extra insights
- A governor is an elected official who’s accountable for the state affairs together with its internally generated and federally allotted revenues.
- By the judgment of the tribunal, Ododo has been backed by the tribunal to proceed discharging his duties as Kogi State governor.
- Ododo took over from ex-governor Yahaya Bello and he served as former Native Authorities Auditor-Basic in Kogi state.
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