The Kogi East Senatorial Election Tribunal in Lokoja dismissed All Progressives Congress (APC) Sen. Jibrin Isah, the Senate Committee Chairman on Customs Excise and Tariffs, on the grounds that elections were cancelled in 94 polling units.
The tribunal Chairman, Justice K.A. Orjiako, who gave the ruling on the case filed by Victor Adoji, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), concurred with Adoji’s pleas.
Adoji, through his counsel, Johnson Usman (SAN), had contested Jibrin Isah’s re-election on the grounds that polls were cancelled in several polling units where the number of PVCs obtained exceeded the margin of his (Chocho’s) victory.
The petitioner had asked the tribunal to cancel Isah’s election and order a supplementary election in the senatorial district’s 94 affected polling units.
Delivering a unanimous Judgement of the Tribunal, Justice K.A. Orjiako agreed with the submission of USMAN SAN and null Isah’s victory and ordered 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.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was also mandated by the tribunal to hold a second election in the 94 impacted polling places.
