Appeal court affirms Natasha Akpoti as winner of Kogi central senatorial election

The court of appeal in Abuja has affirmed Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan as winner of the Kogi central senatorial district election.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared Abubakar Sadiku-Ohere of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as winner of the February 25 election.

Rotimi Ajayi, INEC returning officer for the district, had announced that Sadiku-Ohere garnered 52,132 votes to beat Natasha who had 51,763 votes.

The margin of victory was 369 votes.

Dissatisfied with the outcome of the election, Natasha approached the tribunal with a petition seeking to nullify the victory of Sadiku-Ohere and her declaration as the winner of the election.

In September, the election petition tribunal sitting in Lokoja had nullified Ohere’s election and declared Akpoti-Uduaghan as winner.

Delivering the results of the three-person panel, Kemakolam Orjiako, the tribunal chairman said Ohere’s results were inflated in nine polling units in the Ajaokuta LGA.

He added that INEC omitted the results of three other polling units meant for Natasha in the same LGA.

Following the necessary corrections, the court declared Natasha as the winner of the election with 54,074 votes, surpassing Ohere, who garnered 51,291 votes.

However, Ohere had headed to the appellate court to seek redress.

But in the ruling on Tuesday, the court dismissed the appeal filed by Ohere for lacking in merit.

The appellate court also awarded the sum of N500,000 against Ohere.