Kogi Governor Praises Appeal Court for Upholding Election Victory

Governor Ahmed Ododo of Kogi State has expressed his approval of the Appeal Court’s judgment, which upheld the May 27 decision of the Kogi State governorship election petition tribunal.

In a statement signed and issued by his Special Assistant on Media, Ismail Isah, on Friday, the governor thanked the people of Kogi State for their support and expressed his appreciation to the judiciary for the swift handling of the appeal.

He noted that the court’s decision affirmed that the mandate given to him by the people was legitimate.

“I give thanks to God for seeing us through this phase of the court processes and I thank the people of Kogi state for uniting behind our administration and the steps we are taking to serve our people to the best of our ability.

“The judgment of the Appeal Court reaffirms that the November 2023 governorship election in Kogi State was free, fair, peaceful, and credible. By the grace of God, our administration has become a symbol of peace and unity in our state, and we are committed to serving our people based on equity and inclusion.

“I thank the judiciary for staying true to its independence with this judgment of the Appeal Court, which has reaffirmed the earlier decision of the Tribunal. This is a clear testament that the mandate freely given to us by the people of Kogi State was done in the best interest of our state,” Ododo said.

He called on opposition politicians in the state to join him in advancing the development of the state, stressing that the judgment should now settle any disputes over the 2023 governorship election results and unite the people for the state’s progress, regardless of political differences.

The governor also expressed his gratitude to President Bola Tinubu for ensuring the judiciary remains independent and transparent.

The Appeal Court on Thursday upheld the May 27 decision of the Kogi State governorship election petition tribunal, affirming Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo’s election. Ododo, of the All Progressives Congress (APC), had secured 446,237 votes, representing the majority of lawful votes cast in the November 11, 2023, governorship election.

In a unanimous decision, the Appeal Court dismissed all grounds of appeal filed by candidates of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), the Action Alliance (AA), and the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) as incompetent and lacking merit.