***Implores Opposition To Join Hands With Him To Move State Forward
By Friday Idachaba, Lokoja.
GOVERNOR Ahmed Usman Ododo has dedicated his Victory at the Kogi State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal which upheld his election as the duly elected Governor of the state, to the people of Kogi.
Speaking in an interview with newsmen on his Victory from the judgement of the tribunal on Monday, Ododo said the judgement further affirmed his conviction that God alone gives power to whomever He wishes at any point in life.
He said that the judgement of the Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal was a call for more dedication to the service of the people of Kogi State.
Gov. Ododo commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for giving the Judiciary free hand to dispense justice in upholding the Independence of the Judiciary in the country.
He noted that the courts remained the last hope of the common man and Bastion of Justice, Equity and Fairness that sustain the practice of democracy everywhere in the world.
Ododo appealed to opposition parties in the state to drop all forms of acrimony arising from the elections, to join hands with him to ensure rapid development and advancement of the state and the people, holding the unity and peaceful coexistence of the people sacrosanct.
It would be recalled that Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo was elected the fifth Executive Governor of Kogi State in the November 11, 2023 Governorship Election having scored 446,237 votes.
He defeated his closest challenger Muritala Ajaka of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) who polled 259,052 votes.
The SDP candidate, Muritala Ajaka and candidates of the Action Alliance (AA) Olayinka Braimoh and Abdullahi Yunusa of the People’s Redemption Party (PRP) however challenged the return of Governor Ododo of the APC by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in their separate petitions.
After months of intense legal battle, the Kogi State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Abuja on Monday reaffirmed Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo of the APC as the duly elected governor of Kogi State.
The Tribunal, in conclusion, decided all the issues raised in the Petitions in favour of the defendants and dismissed the petitions of Muritala Ajaka of the SDP, Olayinka Braimoh of AA and Abdullahi Yunusa of PRP for lacking in merit. (Ends)