Appeal Court affirms Ododo as Kogi governor

The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja has upheld the election of Usman Ododo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the governor of Kogi State.

The three-member panel of justices, in a judgement delivered on Thursday, July 11, 2024, agreed with the state election tribunal that the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and its governorship candidate, Murtala Ajaka, failed to prove all the allegations in their petition beyond reasonable doubt.

The Appeal Court held that the petitioners’ witnesses were incompetent because their statements did not accompany the petition in line with electoral laws.

Tribunal affirms Ododo as Kogi governor

The appellate court also held that the issue of alleged certificate forgery against Ododo ought to have commenced at the Federal High Court, being a pre-election matter.

The Appeal Court held that the appellants could not prove their case “beyond reasonable doubt”, thereby upholding Ododo’s election.

SDP and Ajaka had, in the petition, sued the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Ododo, and APC as 1st to 3rd respondents, respectively.

The Star