Kogi held its off-cycle election on November 11, 2023, amid allegations of rigging and vote-buying.
Murtala Ajaka, the Social Democratic Party (SDP) governorship candidate in the Kogi State, has lost at the state Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Abuja.
The Kogi Governorship Election Petition Tribunal last week fixed May 27 to deliver judgment on the petition filed by the SDP and its governorship candidate, Ajaka, against the election victory of Governor Usman Ododo.
Kogi held its off-cycle election on November 11, 2023, amid allegations of rigging and vote-buying.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Ododo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) the winner of the election.
However, in the judgment delivered on Monday, the tribunal ruled against Ajaka.
The parties had adopted their final written addresses in the course of the proceedings.
In the petition, INEC, Ododo and the APC are listed as the 1st to 3rd respondents respectively.
When the case was called on Friday, April 26, INEC, Ododo and APC’s lawyers opposed the move by Jibrin Okutepa (SAN) to lead the witness, Edidiong Udoh, a digital forensic expert, in evidence.
Chief Kanu Agabi (SAN); Alex Iziyon (SAN) and Emmanuel Ukala (SAN), who appeared for INEC, Ododo and APC respectively argued that the petitioners did not list the name of the witness in their proof of evidence and that the witness statement on oath was not front-loaded alongside the petition.
They also contended that the petitioners served the reports of the witness’ analysis on them 20 minutes before the commencement of the proceedings.
But Okutepa insisted that the forensic expert was listed on Page 56 of the petition as item 10, adding that his statement was also front-loaded.
Recall that the SDP petition challenging the victory of Usman Ododo based on over voting and forgery mean while according to the judgement;
On affidavit of declaration of age ,which bothers on forgery ; Tribunal rule that the issue of qualifications is a pre election matter ,as such rule in favor of Governor Ododo.
On non compliance with the electoral law in the conduct of the election, out of the 666 witnesses deposition on oath from Adavi Local Government Area of Kogi State, only 3.6% of the witnesses testified to the their witness statement of Oath and that the petitioner abandoned 96.4% of its proof to the Court .
The Tribunal says even the deposition of the 3.6% of the witnesses were full of contradiction and inconsistencies. Same applies to the cases of Ajaokuta, Lokoja, Okene and others.
The tribunal says the petitioner failed woefully to proof its case in the allegation of non compliance as it did not plead fact that it was the 2nd respondent either expressly or impliedly perpetrated or procure any person to perpetrate the alleged over voting in the polling units that it challenged the results of the elections.
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