The Supreme Court has maintained the motion made by Murtala Ajaka, the Social Democratic Party’s (SDP) candidate for governor of Kogi State, to view the materials used in the November 11, 2023, governorship contest.
Justice Emmanuel Agim read the lead judgment on Thursday, nullifying the Court of Appeal’s previous decision to halt the inspection.
According to him, the Kogi State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal had the right to order the forensic review of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) from a few local government areas on November 25, 2023.
Read Also:
The Supreme Court noted that, despite Justice Yusuf Birnin-Kudu’s decision not to participate in the inspection, the panel led by him had made the order in accordance with Section 146 of the Electoral Act 2022 and that the order for the service of the papers on Governor Usman Ododo and the All Progressives Congress (APC) had been completed.
The cross-appeal brought by Kanu Agabi (SAN), Ododo’s attorney, was dismissed by the supreme court on the grounds that the governor’s decision to abstain was an act of self-harm.
Ajaka and the SDP are contesting the results of the election on the grounds of pervasive irregularities, excessive voting, and non-compliance with the Electoral Act, 2022, through their attorneys led by Jibrin Okutepa (SAN).
With 446,237 votes to Ajaka’s 259,052 votes and Dino Melaye of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) receiving 46,362 votes, Ododo was declared the election’s victor.
