The Kogi State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, which sitting in Abuja has upheld the victory of Usman Ododo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the November 11 2023 governorship election in Kogi State.
The three-member tribunal led by Ado Birnin-Kudu held that the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and its governorship candidate, Murtala Ajaka, failed to prove their allegations that the election was marred by irregularities, manipulations and non-compliance with relevant laws.
In the lead judgment, Birnin-Kudu said the election “was conducted in substantial compliance with the Electoral Act “.
The Independent National Electoral Commission had at the conclusion of voting and collation of results of the Election announced Ahmed Usman Ododo of the All Progressives Congress as the winner of the election.
The Tribunal judgment is just one step in the legal hurdle the now governor Ahmed Usman Ododo has to cross before he can finally settle down and face governance fully with the petitioners having the option of taking their case to the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court.
