Kogi Election: Supreme Court, INEC under Fire amid Over-Voting Controversy

• Concerned Kogi Citizens, led by Isaiah Davies Idijele, have sent a crucial message to the good people of Edo and Ondo states ahead of the forthcoming governorship election in the respective states
• They urged the electorates to pay close attention to the use of BVAS by INEC while citing the case of the Kogi BVAS fraud involving overvoting
• The group criticises INEC and made a strong demand from the Supreme Court regarding the alleged irregularities in Kogi election

Legit.ng journalist Esther Odili has over two years of experience covering political parties and movements

The Concerned citizens of Kogi State, led by Isaiah Davies Idijele, have called on the Supreme Court to rectify alleged irregularities in the recent Kogi election.

In a statement issued on Sunday, August 11, and addressed to the Edo and Ondo States electorate, the group highlighted the issue of overvoting during the election, which they claimed violates the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) regulations and undermines democracy.

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Also, the group voiced concerns about using the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) in the election. They argued that INEC's decision to dismiss the overvoting case based on technicalities undermines democratic principles, Daily Nigerian reported.

The Concerned citizens of Kogi State, however, emphasised the importance of upholding the integrity of the electoral process, ahead of the Edo and Ondo state gubernatorial elections.

The statement read:

"To the esteemed people of Edo and Ondo States, we urge you to pay attention to the Kogi BVAS Fraud involving overvoting, a violation of INEC regulations. Section 64 subsection 4 stipulates BVAS as the sole accreditation method, which was disregarded during the Kogi Election. INEC's decision to defend such corrupt practices with a Senior Advocate of Nigeria is concerning."

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Read the full statement here:

Court confirms Ododo as Kogi governor

Meanwhile, Legit.ng reported that on Thursday, July 11, the Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja affirmed Usman Ododo as the duly elected governor of Kogi state.

A three-member appellate court panel dismissed the petition filed by the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and Murtala Ajaka, its governorship candidate.

Recall that the INEC announced Ododo, candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), as the winner of the Kogi governorship election held on November 11, 2023.

Proofread by Kola Muhammed, journalist and copyeditor at Legit.ng

Source: Legit.ng