Afrigather 
Natasha Akpoti
The Nation
October 31, 2023
The Courtroom of Attraction in Abuja, has affirmed the judgment of the Nationwide and State Homes of Meeting Election Tribunal, which declared Natasha Akpoti Uduaghan of the Folks’s Democratic Occasion (PDP) because the validly elected Senator representing Kogi State Central Senatorial District.
In a judgment on Tuesday, a three-member panel of the appellate court docket, additionally affirmed the tribunal’s nullification of Abubakar Sadiku-Ohere of the All Progressives Congress (APC) who was earlier returned by the Unbiased Nationwide Electoral Fee (INEC) because the winner of the election.
Within the unanimous judgment, learn by Justice Hamma Barka, the court docket held, amongst others, that Sadiku-Ohere failed to supply convincing proof why the judgment of the tribunal ought to be reversed.
The appellate court docket, whereas dismissing Sadiku-Ohere’s attraction, was of the view that INEC, saddled with the duties of conducting elections and collating the outcomes, failed to supply the reason why the outcomes of the elections in some Native Authorities Areas (LGAs) had been rejected and excluded from the general outcomes introduced after the conduct of the final Nationwide Meeting election in Kogi Central.
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INEC declared Sadiku-Ohere winner of the February 25, senatorial election, a choice Akpoti-Uduaghan appealed earlier than the tribunal on the grounds that INEC didn’t enter outcomes from Ajaokuta, Adavi and Okehi Native Authorities Areas, the place she scored extra votes.
The tribunal held in her favour and sacked Sadiku-Ohere, prompting the APC candidate to attraction to the Courtroom of Attraction in Abuja.
The court docket additionally dismissed the attraction filed by INEC in opposition to the tribunal judgment.
It held that the attraction by INEC was of no utilitarian worth and a mere waste of judicial time.
The court docket held that such an attraction from INEC, supporting a specific candidate, ought to be discouraged,.
It additional held that INEC should be an unbiased arbiter and proceeded to award N500,000 price in opposition to the electoral umpire.
