Finally, Bello admits defeat in an uncommon display of sportsmanship, congratulates Natasha

After what looked like a fight to finish in the run up to the February 25th National Assembly Election in Kogi Central Senatorial district, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, braced the odds as she has made history becoming first female to be elected Senator in the state, her traducer-in-chief Governor Yahaya Bello of the state has joined her well wishers to Congratulate her

The Governor, said he has accepted the decision of the Court of Appeal, Abuja Division, affirming Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan as the duly elected candidate for the Kogi Central Senatorial Election held in February, this year.

The Court of Appeal, sitting in Abuja, on Tuesday upheld the ruling of the election petition tribunal which removed Abubakar Ohere of APC, and declared Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan of the PDP as the legitimately elected Senator for the Kogi Central Senatorial District.

The Appeal Court gave the judgment on Tuesday while ruling on an Appeal case filed before it by Abubakar Ohere.

The court further dismissed the appeal filed by Abubakar Ohere of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for lacking in merit.

The election petition tribunal, had on September 6, affirmed Natasha as the duly elected Senator as it nullified Ohere’s victory citing inflated polling results in favour of Ohere in some units and deliberate undercounting against Akpoti-Uduaghan.

The Tribunal Chairman, Justice K. A. Orjiako delivered the unanimous judgment of the three-man panel, revealing that Ohere’s results were inflated in nine polling units in the Ajaokuta Local Government Area.

He added that the Independent National Electoral Commission reduced Natasha’s results in those areas and omitted the results of three other polling units meant for Natasha in the same LGA.

The Tribunal judgment led Ohere to seek redress. However, the Appeal Court further maintained that Akpoti-Uduagan won the election.

Speaking to State House Correspondents, Governor Bello congratulated Natasha, saying that this was the essence of democracy.

He added that both Akpoti-Uduaghan and Abubakar Ohere were his “siblings” from the same senatorial zone. Bello was known to have bitterly fought a political war of attrition against Natasha.

He called on the people of Kogi Central to embrace the court’s decision.