NASS Election: Adeyemi, Ogembe, Akpoti file petitions against Dino Melaye, others

INEC Election Ballot Box


Sen. Smart Adeyemi, Miss Natasha Akpoti and Sen. Ahmed Ogembe have filed petitions against the conduct and outcome of the national assembly elections held in Kogi State on Feb. 23.

The Secretary of the Kogi State Election Petitions Tribunal, Mrs Aisha Mana confirmed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Lokoja.

Mana said that the petitions, filed by Adeyemi, Akpoti and Ogembe, were among the 10 received by the tribunal from aggrieved candidates who participated in the election.

NAN recalls that while Adeyemi contested on the platforms of the APC, Akpoti and Ogembe contested the election on the platforms of the SDP and PDP.

While Adeyemi, a two-term former Senator lost to his closest rival, Sen. Dino Melaye in the Kogi-West senatorial district, both Natasha and Ogembe contested and lost the senatorial election in Kogi-Central to Mr Yakubu Oseni of APC.

Others who have also filed their petitions at the tribunal include Mrs Habiba Muhammed Deen of the PDP, who lost the Ankpa-Omala-Olamaboro Federal Constituency election to Mr Abdulahi Ibrahim of the APC, and Mr Emmanuel Egwu, also of the PDP, who lost the Idah-Ibaji-Igalamela Federal Constituency election to Mr David Zacharis of the APC.

Others are: Mr Abimbola Henry Tuesday of the APC, who lost the Yagba Federal Constituency election to Mr Leke Abejide of the SDP, Mr Onimisi Itopa of the PDP, who lost the Okene-Ogori Magongo Federal Constituency election to Mr Bello Joseph Asuku of the APC, and Mr Wemi Jones Ojo of the APC, who is challenging the election of Mr Tajudeen Yusuf of the PDP as the Representative-elect for Kabba/Bunu/Ijumu Federal Constituency.

Also, Mr Ibrahim Shaba Isah of the PDP is also contesting the election of Mr Abdulkareem Usman Wambai of APC as the Representative-elect for the Lokoja-Kogi Federal Constituency seat and Mr Lawal Idrissu of the PDP, who is protesting the election of the APC candidate for the Ajaokuta Federal Constituency.

No date has been fixed for the hearing of the petitions.

The Secretary reiterated that the tribunal will hold its sittings in Abuja as earlier announced, urging security agencies and other stakeholders to take note.