On August 23, 2024, the Supreme Court of Nigeria dismissed an appeal filed by the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and its governorship candidate, Murtala Ajaka, challenging the election victory of Kogi State Governor Usman Ododo. The decision was made by a five-man panel chaired by Justice Mohammed Garba.
The appeal was an attempt to overturn the results of the November 11, 2023 Kogi State Governorship Election, where the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared Usman Ododo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner. The results showed Ododo securing 446,237 votes, defeating Murtala Ajaka, who received 259,052 votes, and Dino Melaye of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who garnered 46,362 votes.
Following the election, Ajaka and his team contested the results at the tribunal, citing alleged forgery, voting irregularities, and non-compliance with the Electoral Act. The tribunal, however, dismissed the petition, affirming Ododo’s election and ruling that the claims of forgery and irregularities were unsubstantiated.
Ajaka’s legal team then appealed to the Court of Appeal, but their challenge was upheld once again. The case was subsequently taken to the Supreme Court, where Ajaka’s team requested an increase in the number of panel members and sought to have the appeal granted. They aimed to overturn the previous judgments and declare Ajaka as the duly elected governor.
The Supreme Court, however, found that Ajaka failed to provide sufficient evidence to support his claims. The apex court dismissed the appeal, stating it lacked merit and reaffirmed Ododo’s position as Kogi State governor.
With this ruling, Usman Ododo, who succeeded former Governor Yahaya Bello and previously served as the Local Government Auditor-General in Kogi State, will continue his tenure as governor. The judgment underscores the court’s endorsement of Ododo’s election and clears the way for him to carry on with his duties.
