Appeal Court reserves judgment in Kogi gov’ship trial

The Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal, on Monday, reserved judgments on the two appeals filed by Natacha Akpoti and Democratic Peoples Party (DPP), and Musa Wada and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) challenging the decision of the Kogi State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal which upheld the election of Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State.

The presiding justice of a five man panel, Justice Adamu Jauro, that heard the appeals on Monday, said the judgments are reserved and the date would be communicated to the parties.

Akpoti and DPP are challenging the decision of Kogi State governorship election petition Tribunal on the grounds that it erred by not taking into consideration the evidences and exhibits that were tendered as proof that the petitioner was excluded from the Kogi State governorship election held on November 16, 2019.

At the hearing of the appeal on Monday, Counsel to Governor Bello, David Daudu (SAN), Dr. Alex Izinyon (SAN), Counsel to APC and Ahmed Raji (SAN), counsel to INEC, who had filed preliminary objection challenging the competent of the appeal, urged the Court to hold that the entire appeal is incompetent.

But the appellants’ lawyer, Reuben Egwuaba asked the Court to dismiss the respondent’s preliminary objection for lacking in merit.

On the main appeal which was filed on June 19, 2020, the appellant’s lawyer prayed the court to allow it and upturn the decision of the Kogi State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal.

First respondent counsel, Dr. Alex Izinyon (SAN), while adopting his brief of argument, asked the court to dismiss the appeal for lacking in merit.

Ahmed Raji (SAN) and Daudu (SAN) also prayed the court to dismiss the entire appeal.

Earlier during the hearing of Musa Wada and PDP’s appeal, the appellant’s counsel Jibrin Okutepa (SAN) had prayed the Court to upturn the decision of Kogi State governorship election petition tribunal and cancel the election.

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He said that there were overwhelming evidence that the election was marred by electoral malpractices, yet the tribunal ignored them.

But counsel to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Dr. Alex Izinyon (SAN), urged the Court to dismiss the appeal for lacking in merit.

Joseph Daudu (SAN), Ahmed Raji (SAN), who represented Yahaya Bello and All Progressives Congress (APC), respectively aligned with Izinyon in asking the court to dismiss the appeal.

They said that it was clear that the petitioner was unable to substantiate their allegations of electoral malpractice before the tribunal.