The Court of Appeal, sitting in Abuja on Tuesday, declared the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Natasha Akpoti-Uduagan, as the duly elected member for the Kogi Central Senatorial Election held in February 2023 while further dismissing the appeal filed by Abubakar Ohere of the All Progressives Congress for lacking in merit.
Tribunal declares PDP’s Natasha winner of Kogi Central Senatorial district, nullifies election of APC’s Ohere
The Informant247 had, in September, reported that the Kogi state National Assembly Election Petition Tribunal nullified the victory of Senator Abubakar Ohere of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner of the Kogi Central senatorial election while declaring Natasha Akpoti-Uduagan of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the winner of the February 25 parliamentary election.
According to Justice K. A. Orjiako, the tribunal chairman, in a unanimous judgment of the 3-man panel, held that Ohere’s results were inflated in 9 polling units of Ajaokuta LGA in the said election while adding that votes of the PDP candidate in the said election were intentionally reduced in 9 polling units by the INEC Ward Collation officers.
In a further judgment, Justice K. A. Orjiako also held that 3 other polling units results were deliberately not entered for the PDP candidate in the same LGA while adding that Natasha’s results in the nine polling units of Ajaokuta LGA were 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 elections 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 the same to the PDP Candidate.
However, the court chided INEC for deliberately violating its mandate of conducting a free and fair election by conspiring with political parties to subvert the people’s will.
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 a victory for the people of Kogi Central Senatorial district, victory for Kogi in general and victory for the election processes”, he said.
Dissatisfied with the tribunal judgment, Ohere seeks redress. However, the Appeal Court further maintained that Akpoti-Uduagan won the election.
Reacting to the appeal court verdict, Akpoti-Uduagan posted, “We won the Appeal. Joy amidst tears. Thank you, Kogi Central. This is us together 🙏🏽”
on her official Facebook page.