PDP Rejects Outcome of Kogi Election, Heads to Court

*Declare Ajaka winner, SDP tells INEC

Chuks Okocha and Oghenevwede Ohwovoriole in Abuja

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kogi State has rejected the outcome of last Saturday’s governorship election in the state and vowed to take legal steps to reclaim the people’s mandate.
This is coming as the Social Democratic Party (SDP), has told the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to review the results of the Kogi governorship poll and declare the party’s candidate, Mr. Murtala Ajaka as the duly elected governor of the state.

In the statement read by the state secretary, the party said: “We have rejected the result as declared by INEC, and as a party, we would take all measures, within the ambit of the law, to reclaim the mandate of the people of Kogi State.

“We have commenced actions necessary and in accordance with the law with a view to arresting this glaring broad daylight robbery against the people of Kogi State and our governorship candidate, Senator Dino Melaye by the APC government and its collaborators.”

PDP said it has evidence that there was over voting in 17 out of the 21 local government areas in the state.
“There were cases of over voting in 17 out of the 21 LGAs in the state. There is clear evidence to back this up. We have cases where the total number of votes was more than the total number of PVCs collected, yet, INEC claimed that they conducted credible elections. We had cases where huge sums of money were seen with INEC officials at the polling units.”
“The PDP rejects the results as announced and the declaration of Usman Ahmed Ododo as the winner of the governorship elections of November 11, in our dear Kogi state by NEC”.

“We also hinted that the APC- led government in Kogi State had distributed NYSC and police uniforms to civilians to perpetrate their evil plans to rig the election.
“Our fears were confirmed last Saturday when before the governorship election commenced at the polling units, results of yet-to-be-held elections found their way to the public space.

“Some agents of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) were also found with already written results of elections that were yet to be held.
“We however found it incredulous that the anomalies above notwithstanding, the State Gubernatorial Returning Officer after seeing clear evidence of overvoting and reports of electoral fraud declared Usman Ahmed Ododo of the APC as elected with some conjured votes which is different from the number of accredited voters, among other factors.”
Meanwhile, the SDP has told the INEC to review the results of the Kogi governorship poll and declare the party’s candidate, Mr. Murtala Ajaka as the duly elected governor of the state.
National Chairman of the SDP, Shehu Gabam made the demand on behalf of the party during a press conference at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja over the weekend.
Gabam stated that the party was amazed how the umpire issued two separate press releases, and later turned around to admit an exercise characterised by over-voting, pre-filled and mutilated results.
He noted that INEC must redeem itself by being above board in the Kogi governorship election.
“We, therefore, seek the cancelation of polling units affected by over-voting, reverse the observed irregularities, rescind the result declared by the Returning Officer and declare the proper result, rescind the erroneous and unlawful return of Ahmed Ododo and declare Murtala Ajaka dully elected as the governor of Kogi State.” Chuks Okocha and Oghenevwede Ohwovoriole in Abuja

Addressing a press conference yesterday in Abuja, the state secretary of the PDP, George Daika, and the state Publicity Secretary, Dayo Akande, the party said it took seven days before announcing the rejection of the election to enable INEC to review the outcome of the election as contained in the 2022 Electoral Act.
PDP said since INEC did not do the review that it had commenced the necessary legal action on the process.
In the statement read by the state secretary, the party said: “We have rejected the result as declared by INEC, and as a party, we would take all measures, within the ambit of the law, to reclaim the mandate of the people of Kogi State.

He stressed further: “As you are aware, before the date scheduled for the election, we had raised several concerns about plots to rig the gubernatorial election in Kogi State where we revealed that the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the state governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, had resolved to deploy already preloaded BVAS to some areas in Kogi State.
“We also hinted that the APC- led government in Kogi State had distributed NYSC and police uniforms to civilians to perpetrate their evil plans to rig the election.
“Our fears were confirmed last Saturday when before the governorship election commenced at the polling units, results of yet-to-be-held elections found their way to the public space.

Meanwhile, the SDP has told the INEC to review the results of the Kogi governorship poll and declare the party’s candidate, Mr. Murtala Ajaka as the duly elected governor of the state.

National Chairman of the SDP, Shehu Gabam made the demand on behalf of the party during a press conference at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja over the weekend.

Gabam stated that the party was amazed how the umpire issued two separate press releases, and later turned around to admit an exercise characterised by over-voting, pre-filled and mutilated results.

He noted that INEC must redeem itself by being above board in the Kogi governorship election.

“We, therefore, seek the cancelation of polling units affected by over-voting, reverse the observed irregularities, rescind the result declared by the Returning Officer and declare the proper result, rescind the erroneous and unlawful return of Ahmed Ododo and declare Murtala Ajaka dully elected as the governor of Kogi State.”