The Kogi State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal, which convened in Lokoja, has been adjourned indefinitely. This adjournment is pending the completion of an inspection of election materials by the Social Democratic Party (SDP).
During the resumed hearing on Wednesday, the SDP acknowledged the cooperation of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in facilitating the inspection, as granted by the tribunal’s order. However, the SDP requested additional time to conclude the process.
The tribunal had previously directed INEC to issue certified copies of electoral materials related to the November 11 off-cycle election in the state to the SDP within a 48-hour timeframe. Furthermore, the tribunal instructed INEC to permit the SDP’s forensic experts to examine specific electoral materials.
These materials encompass the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System and result sheets for various Local Government Areas, including Adavi, Okene, Okehi, Ogori-Magongo, Ajaokuta, Lokoja, Kogi, and Bassa.
The tribunal ruled on Saturday in Lokoja that the SDP requested the materials to prove its case in the petition it filed against the victory of the All Progressives Congress at the election.
The chairman of the tribunal, Justice Ado Birnin-Kudu, gave the order following two ex-parte motions filed on Nov. 19 by the SDP and by its governorship candidate, Alhaji Muritala Yakubu-Ajaka.
Justice Birnin-Kudu adjourned the resumed hearing pending when the inspection of materials would have been completed.
Lead counsel to the petitioners, Mr John Adele (SAN), had earlier told the court that efforts to obtain certified copies of materials used in the six local government areas from INEC had been fruitful, except for some hitch, leading to delay in meeting with the 48 hours.
The SDP and Muritala Yakubu are challenging the victory of the APC and its candidate, Alhaji Usman Ododo, at the election petitions tribunal.
Usman Ododo won the election with 446,237 votes, while his closest rival, Yakubu-Ajaka, got 259,052 votes.
