Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has been declared the winner of the Kogi central senatorial district election by the Abuja court of appeal.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate Abubakar Sadiku-Ohere had earlier proclaimed the election’s victor by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on February 25.
Akpoti-Uduaghan challenged Ohere’s election victory announcement in her petition, which she filed at the National and State Assembly Election Petition Tribunal in Kogi.
Among other reliefs, she requested a declaration that she should be deemed the election winner since she received the greatest number of valid votes cast.
Akpoti-Uduagan was further proclaimed by the court to be the true victor of the February senatorial election.
Ohere had, nevertheless, gone to the appellate court to seek remedies, but the court maintained Akpoti-Uduagan’s victory in the poll.
The three-member panel’s unanimous verdict, which was given by the Tribunal Chairman, Justice K. A. Orjiako, revealed that Ohere’s results had been manipulated at nine polling places inside the Ajaokuta Local Government Area.
He went on to say that three additional polling places in the same LGA that were designated for Natasha’s vote were left out and that Natasha’s results in those locations had been lowered by the Independent National Electoral Commission.
Ohere sought remedies in response to the Tribunal’s ruling. The Appeal Court did, however, go on to say that Akpoti-Uduagan was the election winner.
Reacting to the appeal court verdict, Akpoti-Uduagan, posted “We won the Appeal. Joy amidst tears. Thank you Kogi Central. This is us together.”
Glamour Adah
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