Kogi Guber: Reactions Trail Apex Court Verdict as AA Candidate Differs

Ibrahim Oyewale in Lokoja

Reactions have continued to trail the verdict of the Supreme Court reaffirming the election of the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate in the November 11, 2023, governorship election, Ahmed Usman Ododo, as the duly elected governor of the state.

In a statement signed by the media officer, Musa Yakubu, and  made available to journalists in Lokoja yesterday, it said: “The governorship candidate of the Action Alliance Party (AA) in the 2023 governorship election in Kogi State, Olayinka  Braimoh,  has reacted to the Supreme Court pronouncement, upholding the positions of the lower courts (Tribunal and Appeal), which ruled in favour of Ahmed Ododo of the APC as the winner of the election widely reported to have been mercilessly rigged.

While reacting to the Supreme Court judgment yesterday, he said: “We received the news of the Supreme Court judgement today. Even though we accept, we do not agree with the judgement because we realised that we have a system that rewards bad behaviour.

“Well, the governor’s office is tenured while the poverty in the land is alarming, and I can as well say that please keep hope alive because the poverty is also tenured. Implementation of our wealth creation agenda will soon start, and we shall keep on supporting businesses and individuals as we have been doing to kick out poverty away from our land

“Let’s be focused, believing that sooner, we shall get out of this self-inflicted poverty. Thank you for the overwhelming support during the elections and throughout the period of the legal battle. I am honoured.

“Braimoh came out for the first time to contest the governorship seat under the Action Alliance Party (AA), and he campaigned vigorously with a wide grassroots mobilisation that touched all the political wards and units in the state.

“Following the announcement by the  INEC, which declared Usman Ododo of APC the winner, Braimoh approached the Tribunal, Appeal Court, and finally the Supreme Court, challenging the electoral process, which had been widely reported to have been manipulated such that the level of over-voting across the state was unprecedented.

“Braimoh was said to have given good fight as  posterity will forever reward him for his good intentions for the state that has been ravaged by unnecessary poverty.”

Meanwhile it has been jubilation galore in the camp of the Governor Usman Ododo and supporters of the All Progressives Congress APC in the state since last Friday.