INEC nullifies APC’s victory, declares Natasha winner of Kogi Central Election

The Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Lokoja has declared Natasha Akpoti-Uduagan of the Peoples Democratic Party the winner of the Kogi Central Senatorial election held in February.

It also invalidated the victory of Senator Abubakar Ohere of the All Progressives Congress.

Justice K. A. Orjiako, the Tribunal Chairman, delivered the unanimous judgment of the three-man panel, revealing that Sen. Ohere’s results were inflated in nine polling units in the Ajaokuta Local Government Area.

He added that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) reduced Natasha’s results in those areas and 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.

Recall that INEC had declared Abubakar Sadiku-Ohere of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner of the Kogi central senatorial election.

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

After hearing the arguments of the parties in the petition in July, the tribunal reserved judgment in the case.