Kogi guber: INEC tenders documents against SDP at tribunal

Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Monday, tendered electoral documents against the petition filed by Murtala Ajaka, the candidate of Social Democratic Party (SDP), challenging the victory of elected Governor Usman Ododo.

Uchenna Njoku, the INEC’s counsel, who held the brief of Chief Kanu Agabi (SAN), tendered the documents before the Kogi State Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Abuja.

The Kogi governorship election was conducted by INEC on November 11, 2023.

But the SDP and its governorship candidate in the poll are challenging the declaration of Ododo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner of the poll.

In the petition, INEC, Ododo, and APC are listed as the first to the third respondents.

Some of the documents tendered yesterday by the commission’s lawyer before the three-member panel of justices, led by Justice Ado Birnin-Kudu, include INEC Regulations and Guidelines for the Conduct of the Election; INEC Manuals for Electoral Officers and INEC Form EC8C.

Others include INEC Form EC8B; INEC Form EC8E; List of Accredited Agents for SDP; List of Accredited Ward Agents; Receipts of Payment for Forms, among others.

After the documents were tendered, Justice Birnin-Kudu admitted them in evidence and marked them as exhibits.

Njoku applied for an adjournment to enable the electoral umpire present its witnesses on the next adjourned date.

Justice Birnin-Kudu adjourned the matter till today for continuation of hearing.

The judge, who observed that the SDP’s petition would elapse on May 29, said there was the need to amend the number of days earlier given for the second and third respondents to present their case and for the filing of the final written addresses of the parties.

He reduced the number of days to five instead of the earlier 10 days given for the respondents’ lawyers to present their case.

Justice Birnin-Kudu assured the parties that where five days would not be enough, the panel would not hesitate to give additional days.

The judge solicited the cooperation of the parties in this regard.

But APC’s counsel, Emmanuel Ukala (SAN), pleaded with the tribunal not to reduce the earlier days given to prepare their defence.

Ukala, pleaded that the order on the schedule for hearing should not be amended, pledged the cooperation of the respondents in ensuring timely completion of their case.

The panel claimed that the amendment to the order was done off-record.

Joseph Daudu (SAN) led Governor Ododo’s team of lawyers, and while Jibrin Okutepa (SAN) led Ajaka’s team.

On April 5, Ajaka and SDP, had closed their case after calling 25 witnesses.