By Nurat Uthman
The court of appeal in Abuja has affirmed Usman Ododo as the duly elected governor of Kogi state.
In the judgment delivered on Thursday, a three-member panel of the appellate court dismissed the petition filed by the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and Murtala Ajaka, its governorship candidate.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced Ododo, candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), as the winner of the Kogi governorship election held on November 11, 2023.
Ododo polled 446,237 votes to defeat Ajaka who came second with 259,052 votes; and Dino Melaye of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who scored 46,362 votes.
After the poll, the SDP and Ajaka filed petitions to challenge Ododo’s victory.
