Tribunal sacks APC Senator, orders rerun in Kogi

The Kogi State Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Lokoja on Tuesday sacked the Senator representing Kogi East Senatorial district, Sen. Jibrin Isah (APC) and order rerun election in 94 polling units were election results were cancelled in the February Senatorial election.

The tribunal Chairman, Justice K.A. Orjiako, who delivered the judgment on the petition brought before it by the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Victor Adoji agreed with the prayers of petitioners.

Adoji, had through his Counsel, Mr Johnson Usman (SAN), challenged the return of Jibrin Isah on the ground that elections were cancelled in some polling units where the PVCs collected were more than the margin of the respondent win.

The petitioner had pleaded with the tribunal to anull the election of Isah and ordered for a supplementary election in the affected 94 polling units in the senatorial district.

Delivering a unanimous Judgement of the Tribunal, Justice K.A. Orjiako agreed with the submission of the petitioners, annulled Isah’s victory and ordered for the withdrawal of his certificate of return.

“Since the PVCs collected in the 94 polling units is 59,730, while the margin of win is 26,922 votes, the Returning Officer ought to have declared the election inconclusive without making a return.

“Consequently, this honourable Tribunal hereby granted the reliefs sought by the Petitioners. We also set aside the Certificate of Return issued to Jibrin Isah.

“The tribunal hereby also order INEC to conduct a supplementary election in the affected polling units where election did not hold or cancelled in order to determine the winner, ” justice Orjiako declared.

Sen. Jibrin Isah (APC), a second termed is the Senate Committee Chairman on Customs, Excise and Tariffs.

(Vanguard)