- The Court of Appeal affirms Senator Jibrin Isah’s election for Kogi East, overturning the tribunal’s decision, which called for a rerun due to election irregularities
- The appeal court questioned the credibility of a key witness and ruled in favor of Senator Isah, upholding his victory
In a recent ruling, the Court of Appeal has affirmed the election of Senator Jibrin Isah from the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the senator representing the Kogi East region. Sen. Isah also serves as the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Customs.
The backdrop of this case revolves around the initial declaration by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) that Sen. Isah was the victor in the Kogi East Senatorial District election. However, Victor Adoji, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate who secured the second position, raised objections, challenging the validity of Isah’s victory.
Adoji’s claim stemmed from allegations of election irregularities, specifically in polling units where the number of PVCs (Permanent Voter Cards) collected exceeded the margin of victory. He appealed to the tribunal to nullify Sen. Isah’s win and to order a supplementary election in the 94 affected polling units within the senatorial district.
In a decisive unanimous judgment, the tribunal, presided over by Justice K.A. Orjiako, ruled in favor of Adoji’s plea. The tribunal ordered a rerun in the 94 polling units due to the identified irregularities during the last general election.
However, not satisfied with this verdict, Sen. Isah opted to challenge the lower court’s decision by filing an appeal.
The appeal court, in its recent judgment, highlighted a significant issue. It found that the credibility of the witness upon which the tribunal had based its initial judgment was questionable. As a result, the court expunged the exhibits presented by this witness from the records.
In a stunning turn of events, the appellate court declared the appeal successful, setting aside the judgment of the tribunal. Sen. Jibrin Isah’s victory was upheld and affirmed, bringing this legal battle to a close. This recent ruling solidifies Isah’s position as the senator representing Kogi East, and the APC retains its stronghold in the region.