Tribunal Sacks APC Senator, Declares Natsha Akpoti Winner Of Kogi Central Election
The National Assembly Election Petition Tribunal in Kogi
State has nullified the victory of Senator Abubakar Ohere as the winner of the
Kogi Central senatorial…
The
National Assembly Election Petition Tribunal in Kogi State has nullified the
victory of Senator Abubakar Ohere as the winner of the Kogi Central senatorial
election.
The declared Natasha Akpoti-Uduagan of the Peoples Democratic
Party (PDP) as winner of the February 25 parliamentary election.
In a unanimous judgment of the 3-man panel, the tribunal
chairman, Justice K. A. Orjiako, said Ohere’s results were inflated in 9
polling units of Ajaokuta LGA in the said election.
He added that votes of the PDP candidate in the said election
was intentional reduced in 9 polling units by the INEC Ward Collation officers.
Justice K. A. Orjiako also stated that 3 other polling units
results was deliberately not entered for the PDP candidate in the same LGA.
The tribunal chairman said Natasha results in the 9 polling
units of Ajaokuta LGA was 1,073 against the 77 that was recorded by the Ward
Collation officers, stressing, that of the APC candidate was inflated to 1,553
against the actual figure of 1,031.
“The Tribunal is also convinced that the petitioner’s 996 votes
in polling units 009, 046 and O49 polling units of Ganaja village of Ajaokuta
LGA was deliberately not recorded at the Ward Collation centre,” Justice
Orjiako held.
The tribunal added that it is not the duty of collation
officers to reject results submitted by presiding officers from polling units
in election that followed the electoral guidelines substantially.
He added that “the issues raised by the petitioner is hereby
resolved in favour of the petitioners and after making the proper correction,
Natasha Akpoti-Uduagan (PDP) having polled 54,074 against Abubakar Ohere (APC)
who polled 51,291 is hereby declared the authentic winner.”
The tribunal, therefore, subsequently ordered the 3rd respondent
(INEC) to withdraw the certificate of returns issued to Ohere and issue same to
the PDP Candidate.
However, the court chided INEC for deliberately going out
of its mandate of conducting a free and fair election by conniving with
political parties to subvert the will of the people.
The tribunal therefore ordered INEC to pay N500,000 to the PDP
candidate for ‘subverting justice’ in the Senatorial election.
In his response, Johnson Usman (SAN) , counsel to Natasha
Akpoti-Uduagan, said the judgment has now validated the true winner of
the Central Senatorial District election.
“This is victory for people of Kogi Central Senatorial district, victory for Kogi on general and victory for the election processes”, he said .
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