The governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party, SDP, Muritala Yakubu Ajaka has lost his petition at the Kogi State Election Petition Tribunal on Monday.
CAPITAL POST which monitored proceedings at the Tribunal sitting at the National Judicial Council, Abuja reports that the Tribunal hinged their ruling in favour of Ododo on the petitioner’s non-front loading the name of its witness and his statement on oath alongside their petition to the Tribunal.
Kogi State’s off-cycle election was held on 11th November, 2023 with reports of rigging and prepared election results.
The Kogi Governorship Election Petition Tribunal last week fixed May 27 to deliver judgment on the petition filed by the SDP and its governorship candidate, Ajaka, against the election victory of Governor Usman Ododo.
The parties had adopted their final written addresses in the course of the proceedings.
In the petition, INEC, Ododo and the APC are listed as the 1st to 3rd respondents respectively.
When the case was called on Friday, April 26, INEC, Ododo and APC’s lawyers opposed the move by Jibrin Okutepa (SAN) to lead the witness, Edidiong Udoh, a digital forensic expert, in evidence.
Chief Kanu Agabi (SAN); Alex Iziyon (SAN) and Emmanuel Ukala (SAN), who appeared for INEC, Ododo and APC respectively argued that the petitioners did not list the name of the witness in their proof of evidence and that the witness statement on oath was not front-loaded alongside the petition.
But Okutepa insisted that the forensic expert was listed on Page 56 of the petition as item 10, adding that his statement was also front-loaded.
They also contended that the petitioners served the reports of the witness’ analysis on them 20 minutes before the commencement of the proceedings.
