March 5, 2024
SDP in the petition is challenging Governor Ahmed Ododo’s victory in last year’s election in the state.
The Kogi State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Abuja has adjourned the hearing in the petition filed by Social Democratic Party, SDP, and its candidate, Murtala Ajaka, to March 14.
SDP in the petition is challenging Governor Ahmed Ododo’s victory in last year’s election in the state.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared Ododo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner of the election after he polled 446,237 votes, while the SDP candidate got 259,052 votes.
Ajaka and his party are however challenging the outcome of the election on the grounds of fraud and other unacceptable conduct during the exercise.
The Court of Appeal’s judgement had set aside the tribunal’s inspection order granted the SDP. While it expunged paragraphs g, k, and n of the earlier ruling.
The tribunal on Friday adjourned hearing in the petition till Monday.
At the resumed hearing on Monday, counsel to the petitioners, Jibrin Okutepa (SAN), Counsel to Ajaka, moved for tendering of INEC devices but the Kanu Agabi, the counsel to Governor Usman Ododo, drew the attention of the tribunal to the Court of Appeal judgement and an affidavit to that effect.
In his response, Mister Okutepa said he had filed an appeal at the Supreme Court
This necessitated the adjournment for the court to take the application.