From Emmanuel Adeyemi, Lokoja
The Kogi State Election Petition Tribunal on Wednesday nullified the victory of Senator Abubakar Ohere of the APC as the winner of the kogi Central Senatorial election.
The election tribunal on Tuesday nullified the election of Isa Echocho also of the APC representing Kogi East senatorial district and ordered for a rerun in 94 polling units
The court further declared Natasha Akpoti- Uduagan as the actual winner of the February Senatorial election in Kogi Central.
The Tribunal Chairman, Justice KA Orjiako, who read the unanimous judgement of the 3-man panel, said Ohere results were inflated in 9 polling units of Ajaokuta LGA while that of Natasha was intentionally reduced in the same 9 polling units by the INEC Ward Collation officers.
He also stated that 3 other polling units results were deliberately not entered for Natasha in the same LGA.
The court said that Natasha results in the 9 polling units of Ajaokuta LGA was 1073 against the 77 that was recorded by the Ward Collation officers while that of the APC candidate, Abubakar Ohere was inflated to 1553 against the actual figure of 1031.
“The Tribunal is also convinced that the petitioners 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.
The Tribunal said it is not the duty of Collation officers to reject results submitted by Presiding officers from polling units in election that followed the electoral guidelines substantially.
“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 subsequently ordered the 3rd respondent (INEC) to withdraw the certificate of returns issued to Ohere and Issue same to Natasha.
The Court also chided INEC for deliberately going out of its mandate of conducting a free and fair election to conniving with political parties to subvert the will of the people.
He therefore ordered INEC to pay N500,000 to Natasha for ‘subverting justice’ in the Senatorial election.
Responding to the judgment, counsel to Natasha Akpoti-Uduagan, Johnson Usman, SAN, said the judgment has now validated the true winner of the Logo Central election.
“This is victory for people of Kogi Central Senatorial district, victory for Kogi on general and victory for the election processes.