The Kogi East Senatorial Election Tribunal sitting in Lokoja on Tuesday sacked All Progressive Congress (APC) Sen. Jibrin Isah, the Senate Committee Chairman on Customs Excise and Tariffs, on the ground that elections were canceled in some 94 polling units.
Dr. Victor Adoji, a candidate for the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), brought a petition before the tribunal, and Justice K.A. Orjiako, the tribunal’s chairman, agreed with Adoji’s prayers.
Adoji had, through his counsel, Mr. Johnson Usman (SAN), challenged the return of Jibrin Isah on the grounds that elections were canceled in some polling units where the PVCs collected were more than the margin of his (Chocho’s) win.
The petitioner had pleaded with the tribunal to annul the election of Isah and order a supplementary election in the affected 94 polling units in the senatorial district.
In a unanimous judgment of the tribunal, Justice K.A. Orjiako agreed that the submission of USMAN SAN nullified Isah’s victory and ordered the withdrawal of his certificate of return.
“Since the PVCs collected in the 94 polling units are 59,730 and the margin of victory is 26,922 votes, the Returning Officer ought to have declared the election inconclusive without making a return.
“Consequently, this honorable tribunal hereby grants the reliefs sought by the petitioners. We also set aside the Certificate of Return issued to Jibrin Isah.
“The tribunal hereby also orders INEC to conduct a supplementary election in the affected polling units where elections did not hold or were canceled in order to determine the winner, Justice Orjiako declared.
The tribunal also ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct a supplement election in the affected 94 polling units.