Tribunal voids Kogi East senatorial election, orders rerun

The National Assembly Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Lokoja has ordered for a supplementary election between Sen. Jibrin Isah Echocho of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Dr. Victor Adoji of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)

The Tribunal in its ruling ordered the rerun in 94 polling units with over 59,730 votes.

The tribunal Chairman, Justice K.A. Orjiako, who delivered the judgment on the petition brought before it by Dr Victor Adoji, Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), agree with the prayers of Adoji
Adoji, had through his Counsel, Mr Johnson Usman (SAN), challenged the return of Jibrin Isah on the ground that elections were cancelled in some polling units where the PVCs collected were more than the margin of his (Chocho’s) win.

The petitioner had pleaded with the tribunal to void the election of Isah and order for a supplementary election in the affected 94 polling units in the senatorial district.

Delivering a unanimous Judgement of the Tribunal, Justice K.A. Orjiako agreed with the submission of USMAN SAN as he annulled Isah’s victory and ordered for the withdrawal of his certificate of return.

“Since the PVCs collected in the 94 polling units is 59,730, while the margin of win is 26,922 votes, the Returning Officer ought to have declared the election inconclusive without making a return.

“Consequently, this honourable Tribunal hereby grant the reliefs sought by the Petitioners. We also set aside the Certificate of Return issued to Jibrin Isah.

“The tribunal hereby also order INEC to conduct a supplementary election in the affected polling units where election did not hold or cancelled in order to determine the winner, ” justice Orjiako declared.

The tribunal also ordered Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct a supplement election in the affected 94 polling units.

Echocho had garnered 108,784 votes being the highest against Victor Adoji of the Peoples Democratic Party who scored 81,867 in the March 2023 senatorial election.