The Kogi State Governorship Elections Petition Tribunal, sitting in Abuja, upheld the victory of Usman Ododo, of the All Progressives Congress.
INFORMATION NIGERIA reports that Ododo, on Monday, was confirmed as Governor of the state, after the three-member panel of justices, headed by Justice Ado Birnin-Kudu, dismissed the petition of Murtala Ajaka, of the Social Democratic Party, for failure to prove material facts in his petition as required by law.
The tribunal held that in line with section 135 of the Electoral Act, the petitioner failed to prove how the irregularities alleged were substantial enough to affect the entire election.
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The court further held that the petitioner, according to law, is duty-bound to lead evidence to show that there was substantial inconsistency and also show how the irregularities are enough to affect the outcome of the election.
Recall that the Independent National Electoral Commission had announced Ododo, the candidate of the APC as the winner of the state’s governorship election held on November 11, 2023.
The APC candidate polled 446,237 votes to defeat Ajaka, who came second with 259,052 votes, and Dino Melaye of the Peoples Democratic Party, scored 46,362 votes.
Ododo, a former Auditor General of Kogi State and an ally of the immediate-past governor, Yahaya Bello, was sworn in on January 27, 2024.
