The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has lost the Kogi Central senatorial seat to the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.
It is the second senatorial seat the ruling party has lost in Kogi State.
On Tuesday, the Election Petitions Tribunal, sitting in Lokoja, the state capital, had nullified the victory of Jibrin Isah of the APC as the winner of the Kogi East Senatorial Election and ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct supplementary elections in the district.
The tribunal, led by Justice Kemakolam Ojiako, declared Akpoti-Uduaghan the winner of the election, nullifying the election victory of APC candidate in the February 25 poll, Abubakar Sadiku-Ohere.
INEC’s Returning Officer for the district, Rotimi Ajayi, had announced that Sadiku-Ohere polled 52,132 votes to beat Akpoti-Uduaghan who had 51,763 votes.
The victory margin was 369 votes.
Dissatisfied with the outcome of the election, Akpoti-Uduaghan had petitioned the tribunal for the nullification of Sadiku-Ohere’s victory, seeking her declaration as the winner of the election.
After hearing the arguments of the parties in the petition in July, the tribunal reserved judgment in the case.
Also, the National Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal, sitting in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, has upheld the election of Senator Sharafadeen Alli of All Progressives Congress (APC), as declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The panel delivered the judgment yesterday and dismissed the petition filed by the candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the senatorial district, Chief Joseph Tegbe.
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It dismissed Tegbe’s petition and ordered him to pay N500,000 each to the three respondents: Alli, APC and INEC.
Also, Alli described the judgment as a reaffirmation that his electoral victory in February 25 election was well-deserved.
A statement by his Special Adviser on Media, Akeem Abas, expressed appreciation to God as well as the people of Oyo South, who gave him their mandate and stood by him throughout the period of the petition.
Also, the Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Umuahia, the Abia State capital, yesterday declared Nkeiruka Onyejeocha winner of the February 25 National Assembly election in Isukwuato/Umunneochi Federal Constituency.
Delivering judgment, the tribunal held that after recounting the votes cast at the polling units, Onyejiocha of the APC had 11,936 votes, while Amobi Ogah of the Labour Party (LP) scored 9,738.
The tribunal ordered the INEC to withdraw the Certificate of Return issued to Ogah and reissue same to the petitioner, Onyejeocha.
Reacting to the judgment last night, Onyejeocha, who is the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, said: “Today God has proven to be the ruler of the universe and has shown love to whom He desires to bless even in the face of adversity and internal conspiracy.”
She hailed the Judiciary for “rising up to the occasion, even in the face of intimidation and several attempts to blackmail the noble body”.
In Delta State, the state’s National Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal, sitting in Asaba, the state capital, yesterday declared the South Senatorial election inconclusive.
In a six-hour judgment, Justice Catherine Ogunsola ordered the INEC to conduct a rerun for Warri South Local Government Area within 90 days.
The judge set aside the Certificate of Return that INEC issued to APC candidate, Joel Onowakpo.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Michael Diden, had sought an order overturning the victory of Onowakpo at the February 25 poll.
