Kogi Election: SDP Candidate, Ajaka Heads To Appeal Court To Remove Governor Ododo, APC
In the appeal filed before the Court of Appeal in Abuja, SDP and Ajaka, through the lead counsel, Pius Akubo (SAN) dated June 14, contends that the judgement of the tribunal occasioned a miscarriage of justice in deciding the winner of the November 11, 2023 election.
The Social Democratic Party (SDP) and its gubernatorial candidate, Murtala Ajaka, have filed an appeal against the judgment of the Kogi State Governorship Election petition tribunal in Abuja, which declared Usman Ododo as the duly elected governor.
In the appeal filed before the Court of Appeal in Abuja, SDP and Ajaka, through the lead counsel, Pius Akubo (SAN) dated June 14, contends that the judgement of the tribunal occasioned a miscarriage of justice in deciding the winner of the November 11, 2023 election.
SaharaReporters had reported that Ajaka, the SDP candidate lost at the state Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Abuja.
Kogi held its off-cycle election on November 11, 2023, amid allegations of rigging and vote-buying.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared Ododo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) the winner of the election.
In the petition, INEC, Ododo and the APC had been listed as the 1st to 3rd respondents respectively.
Meanwhile, SDP and Ajaka are asking the appellate court to overturn the earlier judgement that upheld the APC and Ododo and declare them the winners of the election.
The appellants are also asking the Court of Appeal to set aside the judgement of the Justice Ado Yusuf Birnin Kudu-led panel delivered on May 27 and restore the testimony of their first witness and other documents tendered to prove alleged over voting in the election.
The appellants also argue that Ododo was not even qualified to contest the election into the office of Governor of Kogi State and that all votes ascribed and or allocated to him and the APC are wasted votes.
āAn order granting the reliefs sought by the appellants in the petition and thereupon declaring him (the 1st Appellant) as the duly elected governor of Kogi State,ā they submitted.
The tribunal had in the judgement dismissed SDPās witnesses and documents for having inconsistencies in their evidence and for not being properly demonstrated, respectively.
