Tribunal Sacks APC Senator, Declares Natsha Akpoti Winner Of Kogi Central Election… 

The National Assembly Election Petition Tribunal in Kogi State has nullified the victory of Senator Abubakar Ohere as the winner of the Kogi Central senatorial election and declared Natasha Akpoti-Uduagan of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as winner of the February 25 parliamentary election.

In a unanimous judgment of the 3-man panel, the tribunal chairman, Justice K. A. Orjiako, said Ohere’s results were inflated in 9 polling units of Ajaokuta LGA in the said election.

He added that votes of the PDP candidate in the said election was intentional reduced in 9 polling units by the INEC Ward Collation officers.

Justice K. A. Orjiako also stated that 3 other polling units results was deliberately not entered for the PDP candidate in the same LGA.

The tribunal chairman said Natasha results in the 9 polling units of Ajaokuta LGA was 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 added that  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.

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 same to the PDP Candidate.

However, the  court chided INEC for deliberately going out of its mandate of conducting a free and fair election by  conniving with political parties to subvert the will of the people.

The tribunal therefore ordered INEC to pay N500,000 to the PDP candidate for ‘subverting justice’ in the Senatorial election.