A Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday declared Air Vice Marshal Isaac Alfa (rtd) of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) as the winner of the 2015 Kogi East Senatorial rerun elections.
Justice Gabriel Kolawole in his judgment held that the primary election of the PDP on November 7, 2014 in Idah, Kogi State which eventually announced Ali Usman as winner lacked integrity and credibility.
Justice Kolawole ordered the Clerk of the Senate to make arrangement for the immediate swearing in of Alfa and all the benefits and entitlements paid to him.
The Judge noted that evidence corroborated by officials showed that Alfa was leading the primary with 129 votes, while Hajia Alfa was on 80 votes before the voting was disrupted by Police and thugs, and he polled 101 votes upon reconvening.
He said Atai Aidoko Ali Usman failed to sway the court to accept why it was Seidu Odoma, not Malam Umar Sanusi claimed by the defendants, who signed the exhibits of electoral results such as Exhibit 6, 10A, D2, and D3A as the Returning Officer for the primary.
Serving Senator Atai Aidoko Ali Usman was declared winner of the rerun of the election after the winner of the March, 2015 election, Abdulrahman Abubakar of the All Progressives Congress (APC) was disqualified by the Election Tribunal.
INEC further ruled out the candidate and because of the passage of the statutory period for substitution and nomination of candidates as provided in Section 31(1) and Section 35 of the Electoral Act 2010.
Meanwhile, the Judge has ordered Senator Aidoko Ali Usman and the PDP to pay the cost of N750, 000 each to Senator Alfa.
DailyTrust
