The Kogi State Governorship Elections Petition Tribunal, which met in Abuja on Monday, affirmed the election that resulted in Usman Ododo, the state’s governor, representing the All Progressives Congress.
The three-member panel of justices, led by Justice Ado Birnin-Kudu, dismissed Murtala Ajaka’s appeal from the Social Democratic Party for failing to prove material facts as required by law significantly.
The tribunal determined that, by section 135 of the Electoral Act, the petitioner failed to demonstrate how the claimed irregularities were significant enough to affect the entire election.
In a unanimous decision, the tribunal held that the petitioner had failed to sufficiently adduce credible evidence in line with the relevant laws to warrant the success of his petition.
The court further held that the petitioner, according to law, is duty-bound to lead evidence to show substantial inconsistency and how the irregularities are enough to affect the outcome of the election.
