Gov Ododo opens defence in SDP petition against election

The Kogi State Governor, Usman Ododo, on Wednesday, tendered bundles of electoral documents in seven disputed local government areas in defence of his victory in the November 11, 2023 governorship election in the state.

Ododo, through his lawyer, Paul Daudu (SAN), tendered the documents at the Kogi State governorship election petition tribunal sitting in Abuja to open his defence on the petition filed by the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and its candidate, Murtala Ajaka.

The petitioners are challenging the outcome of the election over alleged fraud.

INEC had on Tuesday closed its defence in the petition after its counsel, Uchenna Njoku, tendered several documents to support the governor’s victory.

Njoku told the three-member panel headed by Justice Ado Birnin-Kudo that the commission would not call any witnesses after assessing the petitioners’ case.

READ ALSO: INEC closes defence in petition challenging Gov Ododo’s election in Kogi

Justice Birnin-Kudo, who declared the commission’s case closed, adjourned till Wednesday for Ododo to open his defence.

At the resumed hearing, Ibrahim Mohammed (SAN), who led Ododo’s team of lawyers, told the panel that Daudu would be conducting the proceedings.

Daudu informed the tribunal of the governor’s readiness to open his defence.

The lawyer said he would begin the process by tendering the certified true copies (CTCs) of the documents also served on the petitioners.

He said: “It is only fair for them (petitioners) to peruse these documents to enable us to take off.”

He, therefore, sought a stand down of the hearing for about 30 minutes to allow the petitioners to peruse the documents.

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