THE NATION
The Appeal Court has affirmed judgment of the election tribunal which declared Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as validly elected Senator of Kogi State Central.
The court also affirmed the nullification of Abubakar Sadiku-Ohere of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who was earlier returned by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as winner of the election.
In the unanimous judgment read by Justice Hamma Barka, the court held, among others, that Sadiku-Ohere failed to provide convincing evidence why the tribunal’s judgment should be reversed.
INEC declared Sadiku-Ohere winner of the February 25 election, a decision Akpoti-Uduaghan contested on the grounds that INEC failed to input results from Ajaokuta, Adavi and Okehi Local Government Areas, where she polled more votes.
The Court also dismissed an appeal by INEC against the tribunal’s judgment. It held that the appeal was of no utilitarian value and a mere waste of judicial time. The court held that such an appeal, from INEC, supporting a particular candidate, should be discouraged…
