The Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal has affirmed the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Natasha Akpoti-Uduagan as the rightful winner of the Kogi Central Senatorial Election.
The Appellate Court in a ruling on Tuesday, affirmed the ruling of the Tribunal which declared Akpoti as the winner of the February 2023 election.
In declaring Akpoti as the winner, the court dismissed the appeal filed by Abubakar Ohere of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for lacking in merit.
Earlier in September, the Kogi State Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Lokoja had nullified the victory of Ohere as the winner of the Kogi Central Senatorial Election.
The APC candidate however appealed the ruling of the tribunal but the the higher court further upheld Akpoti-Uduagan as the winner of the poll.
Recall that the election petition tribunal sitting in Lokoja had back in September, declared the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, as the winner of the Kogi East Senatorial election held on February 25, 2023.
The tribunal Chairman, Justice K.A. Orjiakoin, in his ruling on Wednesday, 6th September 2023, said Uduaghan scored 54,064 votes to defeat his closest rival Abubakar Sadiku Ohere of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who polled 51,291 votes.
Justice Orjiakoin said Ohere’s results were inflated in nine polling units of Ajaokuta Local Government Area (LGA) while that of Natasha was intentionally reduced in the areas by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as well as three other polling units results that were deliberately not entered for Natasha in the same LGA.
