5th September, 2023
Richard Elesho/Kogi
The National and State House of Assembly Election Tribunal sitting in Lokoja has annulled the victory of the senator representing Kogi East, Jibrin Isah Echocho of the All Progressives Congress, APC, and ordered for a rerun in 94 polling units.
Justice K.A. Orjiako, Chairman of the tribunal, made the order while delivering the judgment on the petition by Dr Victor Adoji, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the election.
Adoji, had through his counsel, Mr Johnson Usman (SAN), had challenged the return of Jibrin Isah on the ground that elections were cancelled in some polling units where the PVCs collected were more than the margin of Isah’s win.
The petitioner had pleaded with the tribunal to annul the election of Isah and ordered for a supplementary election in the affected 94 polling units in the senatorial district.
Delivering a unanimous Judgement of the Tribunal on Tuesday, Justice K.A. Orjiako agreed with the submission of Usman and annuled Isah’s victory.
The tribunal chairman ordered for the withdrawal of his certificate of return.
“Since the PVCs collected in the 94 polling units is 59,730, while the margin of win is 26,922 votes, the Returning Officer ought to have declared the election inconclusive without making a return.
“Consequently, this honourable Tribunal hereby granted the reliefs sought by the Petitioners. We also set aside the Certificate of Return issued to Jibrin Isah.
“The tribunal hereby also order INEC to conduct a supplementary election in the affected polling units where election did not hold or cancelled in order to determine the winner, ” justice Orjiako declared.
The tribunal also ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct a supplementary election in the affected 94 polling units.