Kogi Guber : Federal High Court Affirms Usman Ododo As APC Candidate
By Abubakar S. H
The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has today, Wednesday affirmed the candidature of Ododo Ahmed Usman, as the dully elected Governorship candidate of the ruling All Progressive Congress in Kogi State Governorship election.
The judge dismissed the case of Senator Smart Adeyemi on the ground that he couldn’t prove the allegations beyond reasonable doubt and all documents presented by the defendant showed primaries held validly.
It would be recalled that Sen. Smart Adeyemi, former senator who represented Kogi west, filed a suit at a federal high court in Abuja seeking the cancellation of the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship primary election in the state.
Ahmed Ododo, a former local government auditor-general in the state, was declared the winner of the primary.
Ododo scored 78, 704 votes to beat six other contestants.
Salami Momodu got 1506 votes, Abubakar Yahaya-Ashemogu secured 1,159 and Abubakar-Audu polled 763.
Stephen Ocheni garnered 552 votes, Sanusi Ohiare had 424, and Smart Adeyemi got 311 votes.
In the suits marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/556/2023 and FHC/ABJ/ CS/557/2023, filed separately by Adeyemi the plaintiffs is asking the court to invalidate the APC primary election.
He alleged that Ododo’s selection was in violation of section 177 of the 1999 constitution and sections 29 and 84 of the electoral act as well as article 20 of the APC’s constitution.
He also asked the court for an order compelling the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to reject and refuse to recognise Ododo as APC governorship candidate.
In addition, the aggrieved governorship aspirant is praying for an order compelling APC to conduct a fresh primary election and to give all aspirants equal opportunity as prescribed by the electoral act 2022.
