The Supreme Court, on Friday, reaffirmed the election of Usman Ododo as the Governor of Kogi State. The decision was a major setback for Muritala Ajaka, the Social Democratic Party (SDP) candidate, who had challenged the election results announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) after the November 11, 2023 gubernatorial election.
Ajaka had filed an appeal asking the court to overturn the election results, claiming irregularities in the voting process. He hoped to void the declaration of Ododo, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), as the winner. However, the court did not find sufficient grounds to support his claims.
A five-member panel of justices from the Supreme Court delivered a unanimous ruling, siding with INEC’s declaration of Ododo as the validly elected governor. The panel made it clear that Ajaka’s request to nullify the election was not upheld, effectively securing Ododo’s position as the Governor of Kogi State.
