Kogi Guber Election Tribunal: CSO alerts on SDP late filing of petition.
IDRIS AHMED, Lokoja.
A Civil Society Organization, the United Front for Democracy, (UFD) in Kogi state, which claims is non-partisan, has vowed to stop the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and its candidates Murtala Yakubu Ajaka, from filing electoral petition through the back door.
“Our commitment is to protect democratic values and ensure that our judiciary is not slaughtered on the slab of political desperation and corruption.
” Our organisation has credible intelligence that the candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) is yet to file his petition against the winner of the election, Alh. Ahmed Usman Ododo, 22 days after the declaration of results.
“The results of the election were declared on Sunday, 12th November, 2023. The 21-day window elapsed at midnight of December 3, 2023. Section 134 of the Electoral Act is very clear as to when an electoral petition can be filed with all allegations and evidence relating to the petition front-loaded.
“By Section 134 of the Electoral Act, the SDP has failed to file their petition within the period allowed by Law and should therefore be made not to waste the time of the Honourable Panel,” the group alerted.
Barr Shuaib explained that the wisdom of the Electoral Act is that anyone with credible evidence should be able to put such forward within the legally stipulated period.
She however expressed disappointment that the SDP is about to lose the opportunity to test the law with a competent petition.
The UFD commended the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and the African Democratic Congress (ADC), which decided not to challenge the outcome of the election at the tribunal, adding that the decision to avoid the legal tussles has saved them the embarrassment of searching in futility for evidence.
” In as much as we would want to leave the determination of the validity of a petition filed out of time to the Honourable Panel to determine, we owe the populace a social and legal responsibility to expose a clandestine move by the SDP and its candidate to file their petition through the backdoor and backdate same to circumvent the provisions of the Electoral Act.
” Our very credible source revealed that the SDP and its candidate are still preparing their petition to file same within the week and have it backdated to make it look like it was filed within the legally stipulated duration,” the group stated.
The Covener further explained that as a Civil Society Organization, they wished to see elections challenged in a proper way that satisfies the requirements of administrative, judicial and legal procedures and that anything short of that would lead to a dangerous compromise and would be challenged with incontrovertible facts and evidence.
” Therefore, the Election Petition Tribunal for the Kogi State Governorship Poll must switch on its lights to fish out staff members who have been contracted to mess up with the integrity of our highly respected judiciary. We are watching and the world is watching to ensure the right thing is done”, the group said.
