Tribunal nullifies Kogi East senatorial election and orders a rerun. The Kogi Senatorial East election and a supplemental election were largely annulled by the Lokoja Election Petition Tribunal.
Sen. Jibrin Isha Echocho of the All Progressives Congress (APC) was proclaimed the winner of the Senatorial election conducted on February 25, 2023, by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
According to the results published by INEC Returning Officer, Prof. Musa Ibrahim, Echocho received 108,784 votes in Idah, the capital of the Kogi East Senatorial district, defeating Victor Adoji of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), who received 81,867 votes.
Adoji, on the other hand, disputed the outcome, claiming extensive violence, voting suppression, and result manipulation.
The tribunal fired the senator representing the district, Jibrin Isah, in a decision issued on Tuesday, September 5, citing the cancellation of elections in 94 voting units.
The judgement also directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to hold a supplementary election in the 94 polling units impacted.
The Tribunal Chairman, K.A. Orjiako, who gave the judgment on the case brought before it by Victor Adoji, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the February 25 election, agreed with Mr Adoji’s pleas.
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Mr Adoji had contested the return of Mr. Isah of the All Progressives Congress (APC) through his counsel, Johnson Usman (SAN), on the grounds that polls were annulled in several polling units where the number of PVCs obtained exceeded the margin of his victory.
The petitioner had asked the tribunal to annul Mr. Isah’s election as chairman of the Senate Committee on Customs, Excise, and Tariffs on the grounds that elections were canceled in 94 polling units in the senatorial district and to order a supplementary election in the affected 94 polling units.
Mr Orjiako agreed with Mr. Usman’s position and ordered the revocation of his certificate of return in a unanimous tribunal decision.
“Because the total number of PVCs collected in the 94 polling units is 59,730 and the margin of victory is 26,922 votes, the Returning Officer should have declared the election inconclusive and not made a return.”
“As a result, this honorable Tribunal hereby grants the Petitioners’ requested reliefs.” We also set aside Jibrin Isah’s Certificate of Return.
“The tribunal hereby orders INEC to hold a supplementary election in the affected polling units where the election did not take place or was canceled in order to determine the winner,” Mr Orjiako declared.
Tribunal nullifies Kogi East senatorial election and orders a rerun