In a unanimous decision, the Court of Appeal in Abuja has affirmed Ahmed Usman Ododo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the validly elected governor of Kogi State.
The three-member panel of justices ruled that the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and its governorship candidate, Murtala Yakubu Ajaka, failed to prove the allegations contained in their petition challenging Ododo’s election beyond reasonable doubt as required by law.
Key Points from the Judgment
- Unanimous Decision: The court held that the Kogi State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, which sat in Abuja, was correct to have expunged the evidence of the first witness called by the petitioners for being hearsay documents.
- Pre-Election Matter: The court stated that the allegation of forgery of documents submitted by Ododo to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is a pre-election matter that should be handled by the Federal High Court, not the Tribunal.
- Dismissal of Appeal: Having resolved all the issues raised in the appeal against the appellants, the court dismissed the appeal for lacking in merit and upheld the judgment of the Tribunal.
Background
The Tribunal had previously affirmed Ododo’s victory in the November 11, 2023 Kogi State governorship poll. The three-member panel of justices held that the petition was bereft of substance and accordingly dismissed it. Ajaka and his party approached the Court of Appeal seeking an order setting aside the judgment of the Tribunal, an order restoring the testimony of their first witness (PW1) as well as all the documents they tendered that were expunged from the records of the Tribunal. The appellants also asked the Appeal Court to hold that Ododo was not even qualified to have contested 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.
Conclusion
The Court of Appeal’s decision brings an end to the legal challenges faced by Ododo and the APC. The ruling reinforces the legitimacy of Ododo’s election and upholds the integrity of the electoral process in Kogi State. As the state moves forward, the focus will be on ensuring the smooth governance and development of the state under Ododo’s leadership.
