The All Progressives Congress has lost two National Assembly seats, while the Peoples Democratic Party has gained one more seat as election petition tribunals across the country commenced giving judgments on cases.
The Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Lokoja, on Wednesday, declared the People’s Democratic Party senatorial candidate in Kogi Central, Mrs Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, as the winner of the February 25 senatorial election in the state.
The court sacked Abubakar Ohere of the All Progressives Congress and subsequently ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (third respondent) to withdraw the certificate of return issued to Ohere. The tribunal also directed that a certificate of return should rather be issued to Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.
The Tribunal Chairman, Justice K. A. Orjiako, who read the unanimous judgment of the three-man panel, said Ohere results were inflated in nine polling units of Ajaokuta LGA, while those of Natasha were intentionally reduced in the same nine polling units by the INEC ward collation officers. He also stated that three other polling unit results were deliberately not entered for Natasha in the same LGA.
However, Ohere in a statement on Wednesday urged his supporters to maintain calm as he vowed to consult his lawyers and exercise his rights to appeal the judgment within the stipulated days.
The tribunal said, “Natasha’s results in the nine polling units of Ajaokuta LGA were 1073, against the 77 recorded by the Ward Collation officers, while those of the APC candidate, Abubakar Ohere, were 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 049 polling units of Ganaja village of Ajaokuta LGA were 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 elections that followed the electoral guidelines substantially.
“The issues raised by the petitioner are hereby resolved in favour of the petitioner, 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,” it said.
The court also chided INEC for deliberately going out of its mandate of conducting a free and fair election to connive with political parties to subvert the will of the people.
It ordered INEC to pay N500,000 to Natasha for “subverting justice” in the senatorial election.
Responding to the judgment, counsel to Akpoti-Uduagan, Johnson Usman (SAN), said, “This is a victory for the people of Kogi Central Senatorial District, a victory for Kogi in general, and a victory for the election processes.”
The Senatorial Election Tribunal sitting in Asaba, the Delta State capital, on Wednesday also sacked the senator representing Delta South, Senator Thomas Onowakpo of the APC.
The candidate of the PDP, Mr Michael Diden, had petitioned the APC candidate, praying to disqualify the APC candidate, adding that the electoral body did not follow the Electoral Act before declaring the APC winner.
After about seven hours of judgement, the Tribunal Chairman, Justice Catherine Ogunsola, ruled that Onowakpo’s certificate of return should be withdrawn.
The tribunal ordered INEC to conduct supplementary elections in the Warri South Local Government Area within 90 days.
Speaking shortly after the judgment, INEC counsel, Clark Ekpebe said that they will study the judgment, adding that they still have the option to appeal.
He said, “The judgment has been given, and we will go home and study the judgment. We have been asked to withdraw his certificate of return and conduct a supplementary election within 90 days.
“We have 60 days in the 90 days. Don’t forget, we have the option of appealing the case.”
