The National and State Assembly Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Lokoja, has declared Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan as the Senator representing Kogi Central Senatorial District.
The tribunal sacked Senator Abubakar Ohere, who was declared winner of the election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Akpoti-Uduaghan had sought the tribunal to declare her the winner of that election, a petition Ohere contested to be lacking in merit.
However, the tribunal led by Justice K.A. Orjiako has upheld Akpoti’s petition.
Orjiako, who read the unanimous judgement of the three-man panel, said Ohere results were inflated in nine polling units of Ajaokuta Local Government Area (LGA) while that of Natasha 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 Natasha in the same LGA.
The court after making the proper correction, declared Natasha of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the winner of the poll having polled 54,074 against Ohere (APC) who polled 51,291.
By this development, she becomes the first female Senator to represent the senatorial district.
