Kogi: Group Charges Tribunal on Fairness, Justice

A group, North Central Peoples Vanguard (NCPV) has charged Kogi State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal to be fair and just in the dispensation of justice on the case brought before it by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate and the incumbent governor of the state, Capt. Idris Wada.

Wada is currently at the tribunal challenging the declaration of All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in the supplementary election, Alh. Yahaya Bello by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as the governor-elect of the state.

But the group insisted that INEC should have either declare Wada winner or order fresh election, rather than the supplementary election it conducted.

NCPV noted that it has become imperative for the tribunal to make legal clarification on whether votes secured by late Prince Abubakar Audu were transferable to Bello.

The group added that since the contest was between Wada and Audu before Audu passed on, the right thing the electoral body should have done, was to declare Wada who came second and still alive the winner.

It equally charged the tribunal to also clarify if it was legal for a governorship candidate to contest election without a running mate.

Spokesperson of NCPV, Olatunji Aiyejagbara said the eyes of the whole world are on the judiciary to give accurate judgment to avoid setting bad precedent.

The group however restated its confidence in the judiciary in the dispensation of justice.

It stressed that the Kogi State political logjam must through legal means, be adequately interpreted and addressed for the sake of future references.