Supreme court reserves judgment in Kogi, Bayelsa guber disputes

The supreme court has reserved judgment in the appeal filed by the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and its candidate, Murtala Ajaka, challenging the outcome of the Kogi state governorship election.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced Ododo, candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), as the winner of the Kogi governorship election held on November 11, 2023.

Ododo polled 446,237 votes to defeat Ajaka who came second with 259,052 votes; and Dino Melaye of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who scored 46,362 votes.

Ajaka and SDP had challenged the result both at the Kogi state governorship election petitions tribunal and at the court of appeal. However, both the tribunal and the appellate court ruled in Ododo’s favour.

At the supreme court session on Monday, a five-member panel was constituted to hear Ajaka’s appeal.

Pius Akubo, Ajaka’s counsel, told the court that he had applied to the chief justice of Nigeria (CJN) to allow a full panel (seven justices) of the apex court to hear the appeal.

Akubo, however, said they had not received a response from Olukayode Ariwoola, the outgoing CJN.

But lawyers to the respondents opposed the application and urged the court to proceed with the hearing.

After hearing all parties in the suit, the five-member panel reserved judgment to a date that will be communicated to the parties.

BAYELSA

The supreme court also reserved judgment in the appeal challenging the election of Douye Diri, candidate of the PDP, as governor of Bayelsa state.

On November 13, 2023, Diri was declared winner of the off-cycle election held in Bayelsa after he scored 175,196 votes to defeat Timipre Sylva and other candidates.

Sylva, candidate of the APC and a former minister of state for petroleum resources, polled 110,108 votes.

Not satisfied with the outcome of the election, Sylva and his party filed a petition before the tribunal to challenge the poll.

However, they lost at the tribunal and at the court of appeal.