Kogi: PDP’s Natasha Akpoti Writes INEC Chairman, Demands Review Of Election Result

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for Kogi Central senatorial election, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, has demanded a review of the results of the just concluded senate elections.

Naija News recalls that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), on Tuesday, February 28, declared Abubakar Sadiku-Ohere of the All Progressive Congress (APC) as the winner of the Kogi Central Senatorial election.

Announcing the results in the Okene area of the state, INEC returning officer for Kogi central senatorial district, Rotimi Ajayi, said Sadiku-Ohere garnered 52,132 votes to beat Akpoti-Uduaghan, who had 51,763 votes.

Akpoti-Uduaghan has, however, rejected the outcome of the polls and wrote to INEC chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, demanding a review.

The PDP candidate argued that the results were manipulated in favour of the APC candidate. In a letter written by her lawyers on March 1, Akpoti-Uduaghan claimed she was wrongly credited with 51,763 votes.

Akpoti-Uduaghan’s letter read: “In the said election, Engr Abubakar Sadiku Ohere, the Candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) was wrongly credited with 52,132 votes and declared the winner of the election in the Senatorial District while our client was wrongly credited with 51,763 votes.

“It is our position that after careful and meticulous review of the election results from the duplicate of the result sheets, we discovered that votes were manipulated and adjusted in favour of the candidate of the All Progressives Congress.

“We have our Client’s firm instructions pursuant to Section 65 (1) of the Electoral Act, 2022 to demand and hereby demand for a review of the declaration and return of Engr. Abubakar Sadiku Ohere made by the Returning Officer for the Senatorial District.”

In a swift reaction, Sadiku-Ohere’s lawyer also called on Professor Yakubu to use his good office “in reviewing the above and declare our Client as the winner of the Kogi Central Senatorial District election conducted on February 25, 2023.”