Governor Yahaya Bello has expressed confidence that the All Progressives Congress (APC) will retain all three senatorial seats, despite Wednesday’s election petitions tribunal judgement overturning the February 25 Kogi Central senatorial election and declaring Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the actual winner.
“I want to assure you that even judging from yesterday’s pronouncement at the appeal court, we’re going to have our three-over-three senate in Kogi State, I can assure you,” he told State House Correspondents in Abuja on Thursday.
The Chairman of the three-man judicial panel, Justice K. A. Orjiako, reading the unanimous judgement nullifying the victory of Senator Abubakar Ohere, said the APC candidate’s results were inflated in nine polling units of Ajaokuta Local Government Area (LGA).
The judges added that Natasha’s votes were intentionally reduced in the areas by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as well as the results of three other polling units which were deliberately omitted 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.
