Today’s Judgment at the Election Petition Tribunal over the rigged western senatorial district election in Kogi State has reaffirmed my confidence in the Nigeria Judiciary.
This is so because, the Judgment has brought to light our argument that the Feb 23rd election was massively rigged and riddled with malpractices as evident in the mutilation of report sheets and the illegal collation and declaration of results at a wrong venue in the Senatorial district, contrary to a Federal Court Order earlier obtained by Sen Dino Melaiye himself that all results must be declared in Kabba.
Luckily however, the Tribunal was able to detect that over 40,000 invalid votes that were casted with the use of unregistered PVCs during the infamous election.
The Tribunal similarly saw that, the election was characterised with massive mutilations of electoral documents, over voting, gross irregularities and non compliance with electoral processes.
Sen Dino Melaye also denied his name after proven to the court of law beyond a reasonable doubt by providing his tax clearance certificate submitted to INEC and his credentials, he did that to swerve the Tribunal from giving a just verdict.
The main reason this pronouncement is not just a victory for us but has support the progress of strengthening our belief that no matter how any manipulation is window dressed, its consequences would not always pervert the course of justice.
Hitherto, our appeal in the petition was to nullify the election.
However, we have since seen further evidences that we actually won the election.
Going by the stringent scrutiny of the documents by the honourable Tribunal, it was realised that over 40,000 invalid votes were added to the total numbers of legitimate votes cast in the election.
Subtracting the figures from the total votes cast using the Permanent Voters Cards, as certified by INEC, we will be having about 30,000 votes in our favour, a number and more than enough to declare us as winners without going through any rerun of the election.
However, we are ready to go for the rerun of the election and we are very confident that, the wish of the people to represent them at the senate will be finally accomplished.
Meanwhile, I thank the leader of our great party in Kogi State, his excellency Gov. Yahaya Bello, leaders of All Progressives Congress (APC)in the State and indeed, my teeming supporters in the Western Senatorial district that cut across all political parties.
I thank you all for your unalloyed support and encouragement. .
God bless you all.
Signed
Distinguished Sen Smart Adeyemi (CON)
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