By Friday Idachaba, Lokoja
NATIONAL Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Lokoja, Kogi State, has declared Natasha Akpoti-Uduagan of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the actual and “authentic” winner of the February 25, Kogi Central Senatorial District Election.
Justice Kemakolam Anthony Orjiako, Chairman of the three-member Tribunal gave the verdict in a unanimous judgement delivered on Wednesday in Lokoja.
This, is against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)’s declaration and return of Senator Abubakar Sadiku Ohere of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as winner of the election.
According to the tribunal in the judgement, Natasha Akpoti-Uduagan scored 54,064 votes to defeat his closest rival, Abubakar Sadiku Ohere who polled 51,291 votes.
Justice Orjiako said Ohere’s votes were inflated in nine polling units of Ajaokuta LGA while Natasha’s votes were intentional reduced in the same polling units by the INEC Ward Collation officers.
He also stated that Natasha’s results in three other polling units were deliberately ignored and not entered for her in the same Ajaokuta Local Government Area.
The Tribunal held that Natasha’s votes in the nine polling units of Ajaokuta LGA when collated, totalled 1,073 against the 77 votes that were recorded for her by the Ward Collation officers.
The Tribunal Chairman also revealed that the APC candidate, Abubakar Ohere’s results was inflated to 1,553 against the actual figure of 1,031.
He said, “The Tribunal is also convinced that the petitioners 996 votes in polling units 009, 046 and O49 polling units of Ganaja village of Ajaokuta LGA was deliberately not recorded at the Ward Collation centre.”
Justice Orjiako held that it was not the duty of Collation Officers to reject results submitted by Presiding Officers from polling units “In an election that followed the electoral guidelines substantially.
“The issue raised by the petitioner is hereby resolved in favour of the petitioners and after making the proper correction, Natasha Akpoti-Uduagan (PDP) having polled 54,074 against Abubakar Ohere (APC) who polled 51,291 is hereby declared the authentic winner.”
The Tribunal subsequently ordered the 3rd respondent (INEC) to withdraw the certificate of returns issued to Ohere and Issue same to Natasha.
The Tribunal also rebuked INEC for deliberately going out of its mandate of conducting a free and fair election to conniving with political parties to subvert the will of the people.
Justice Orjiako therefore ordered INEC to pay N500,000 as costs to Natasha for ‘subverting justice’ in the Senatorial election.
Johnson Usman (SAN), Counsel to Natasha Akpoti-Uduagan, described the judgement as victory for people of Kogi Central Senatorial district who trooped out to vote for their popular choice.
According to him, the judgment has now validated the true winner of the Kogi Central Senatorial District election.
It would be recalled that Natasha Akpoti-Uduagan and her party, the PDP, had gone to the Tribunal with Ohere, APC and INEC as respondents to challenge INEC’s declaration of Ohere as winner.