BY VICTOR BUORO – The Senate Committee Chairman on Customs Excise and Tariffs, Senator Jibrin Isah, (Echocho) has lost his seat in the National Assembly (NASS), according to the Kogi East Senatorial Election Tribunal sitting in Lokoja, the Kogi State capital.
In its judgment sacking the All Progressives Congress (APC) lawmaker, the Tribunal cancelled the election held in 94 polling units across the Senatorial district.
Consequently, the Tribunal Chairman, Justice K.A. Orjiako, ordered Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct a supplementary poll in the affected 94 polling units.
In its unanimous judgement, the Tribunal agreed with the submission of the petitioner’s counsel, Johnson Usman (SAN) and accordingly annulled Isah’s victory for non-compliance with the electoral law
It also ordered the electoral umpire to immediately withdraw the certificate of return issued to the sacked Senator.
In the ruling, Justice Orjiako declared thus; “Since the PVCs collected in the 94 polling units is 59,730, while the margin of win is 26,922 votes, the Returning Officer ought to have declared the election inconclusive without making a return.
“Consequently, this honourable tribunal hereby grants the reliefs sought by the petitioners. We also set aside the Certificate of Return issued to Jibrin Isah.
“The tribunal hereby also orders INEC to conduct a supplementary election in the affected polling units where election did not hold or was cancelled in order to determine the winner.”
Following the February 25, 2023, National Assembly election, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Dr Victor Adoji, through his counsel, Mr Johnson Usman (SAN), had challenged the return of Senator Isah on the ground that the elections were cancelled in some polling units where the PVCs collected were more than the margin of win.
The petitioner (Adoji) had pleaded before the Tribunal that annulling Senator Isah’s election and ordering a supplementary poll in the affected 94 polling units will be interest of fair play and justice to him and the electorate in Kogi East Senatorial district.
