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Akinwande Soji-Ojo
The Kogi State National and State Assembly Elections Petition Tribunal has nullified the victory of Sen. Abubakar Ohere of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner of the Kogi Central senatorial election.
The tribunal also declared Natasha Akpoti-Uduagan of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the actual winner of the February 25 senatorial election.
The Tribunal Chairman, Justice K. A. Orjiako, who read the unanimous judgement of the three-man panelon Wednesday, said Ohere’s results were inflated in nine polling units of Ajaokuta Local Government Area (LGA) while that of Akpoti-Uduagan’s own was intentionally reduced in the areas by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as well as three other polling units result that was deliberately not entered for her in the same local government.
After making the proper correction, the tribunal declared the PDP candidate as the winner of the election, having polled 54,074 votes agsintst Ohere, who polled 51,291.
The governor of the state, Yahaya Bello, is from the senatorial district.