The Kogi State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Abuja has reserved judgement in the petition filed by the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and its governorship candidate, Alhaji Murtala Ajaka, challenging the election of Governor Usman Ododo.
The three-member panel of justices, headed by Justice Ado Birnin-Kudu, reserved judgement after listening to the final written addresses and arguments from the parties involved, News About Nigeria reports.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Ododo, and his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), prayed to the tribunal to dismiss the petition for being incompetent and lacking in merit.
The respondents’ lawyers, Chief Kanu Agabi, Joseph Daudu, and Emmanuel Ukala, all Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SAN), argued that the petition lacked merit and was incompetent.
Agabi submitted that the petition was frivolous and that the evidence presented by the petitioners was grossly insufficient.
“Also, the evidence contained in the BVAS machines fell short of what is required of the law,” he said.
Daudu argued that the petition was statute-barred, filed out of time, and urged the tribunal to dismiss the allegations of forgery against his client.
Ukala also urged the court to dismiss the petition for lack of merit.
However, Ajaka’s lawyer, Pius Akubo (SAN), urged the tribunal to discount the respondents’ submissions and uphold the petition challenging Ododo’s election.
He argued that the petition was filed within time and that the respondents’ arguments were misconceived.
The tribunal reserved judgement for a date that would be communicated to parties in the matter.
Ajaka and his party had, in their joint petition, listed INEC, Ododo, and APC as 1st to 3rd respondents, respectively.
The tribunal had, on April 25, fixed May 13 for the adoption of final written addresses after the parties closed their case in the matter.
The petitioners had accused Ododo and his party of engaging in electoral malpractices, including forgery and over-voting, and prayed the tribunal to declare Ajaka the winner of the November 11, 2024, governorship election in Kogi State.
