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Tag: MURTALA AJAKA

  • Kogi Poll: Ajaka Alleges Rigging, Decries INEC’s Role In Ododo’s Victory

    The candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in the Kogi State governorship election held on November 11, 2023, Murtala Ajaka, has raised serious allegations of election rigging in favor of Usman Ododo from the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    Speaking on Channels Television’s on Sunday night, Ajaka expressed his frustration with the electoral process and questioned the integrity of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    Ajaka asserted that contesting the election outcome in court would be futile, as he believes INEC would defend the results as a witness.

    He emphasized his disappointment, stating, “If the INEC chairman allows this to stand, they are looking for trouble in Nigeria.”

    According to Ajaka, despite assurances of transparency, he accused INEC of allowing the manipulation of results.

    INEC had declared Ododo as the winner of the highly contested poll, securing 446,237 votes against Ajaka’s 259,052 votes and Dino Melaye of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) with 46,362 votes. Ajaka alleged that figures were inflated in favor of the APC candidate, particularly pointing to discrepancies in Okene Local Government, where the turnout purportedly exceeded the number recorded on the Biometric Verification and Authentication System (BVAS).

    “In Okene Local Government, they turned out over 130,000 votes. Haba! And INEC accepted that result, and what is on the BVAS is less than 30,000,” Ajaka claimed.

    He called for a thorough investigation into the conduct of INEC officials in Kogi State and warned of potential consequences, stating, “If they allow this to stand, I doubt if there will be an election in 2027. Because people will go into that election armed, and I fear Somalia will be a child’s play.”

    In a surprising twist, Ajaka admitted that had they anticipated a similar outcome, they might have considered playing along with the alleged irregularities by inflating results from his area.

  • APC’s Ododo Emerges Winner In Kogi Guber Race, Defeating Ajaka, Melaye

    The November 11, 2023 Kogi State Governorship Election concluded with the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Usman Ododo, emerging victorious, as announced by the State Returning Officer, Prof Johnson Urama, who is the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academics) of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.

    The declaration came late Sunday night, marking the end of a keenly-contested race.

    Ododo secured a significant win with 446,237 votes, surpassing his closest rival, Murtala Ajaka of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), who garnered 259,052 votes.

    Dino Melaye of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) trailed with 46,362 votes. The APC candidate dominated over half of the 21 local government areas (LGAs) in Kogi.

    As an ex-Auditor General of Local Government in Kogi under Governor Yahaya Bello, Ododo was the governor’s anointed candidate, seeking to succeed in the wake of Bello’s double terms of eight years.

    However, the electoral process was not without controversy. Melaye and civil rights groups raised concerns about “filled result sheets” in the Ogori/Magongo Local Government Area, leading to the suspension of the election in nine wards by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    INEC subsequently announced that fresh polls would be conducted in 59 polling units in the affected area on November 18, 2023. The condition for holding these polls is subject to the Returning Officer’s determination of the application of the Margin of Lead Principle.

    In his late Sunday declaration, Urama highlighted that the total number of Permanent Voter Cards in the affected polling units was 16,247, which seemed insignificant compared to the substantial lead of about 200,000 votes garnered by the APC candidate ahead of Ajaka.

    The rejection of the election outcome by both Ajaka and Melaye stems from their expressed disappointment in INEC and security agencies, whom they accuse of collusion with the ruling APC in Kogi.

    The political aftermath of the Kogi State Governorship Election underscores the complex dynamics and contentious issues surrounding the electoral process in the state.

  • Melaye, Ajaka Call For Nullification Of ‘Shameful’ Kogi Guber Election

    In the aftermath of the Kogi State governorship election, both Dino Melaye, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, and the Social Democratic Party (SDP) governorship candidate Muritala Ajaka have faulted the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over the conduct of the governorship election in the state, calling for the nullification of the results amidst alleged irregularities and malpractices.

    During a press conference in Lokoja on Sunday, Dino Melaye strongly condemned the election, labeling it as “shameful” and asserting that it did not qualify as a genuine electoral exercise.

    Melaye criticized the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), accusing them of refusing to address the issues that marred previous elections.

    He claimed that in the central senatorial district of Kogi, accreditation was carried out manually, the Biometric Verification Authentication System (BVAS) was not utilized, and prepared result sheets were evident even before accreditation began.

    “I will start by condemning in its totality the conduct of the elections yesterday and outrightly call for the total cancellation of the election because that was not an election,” the PDP candidate said.

    “It is shameful that the unhealthy INEC refuse to realise, ameliorate or palliate the problems they created in the last presidential and governorship elections.

    “Yesterday in the five local governments of the central senatorial district in Kogi state, there was no election. Surprisingly, accreditation was done manually, the BVAS was not used. Prepared sheets manifested even before accreditation took place and evidence is all over the media.

    “So, INEC as a matter of urgency must cancel the election. In many areas where I won, my agents were told there were no available result sheets to enter the result and we have evidence to back up these claims.

    “As I speak to you, it is shameful that this is what our democracy has descended to. INEC has manifested more than before, that they cannot be trusted, they are biased, they are compromised, and they cannot be a neutral umpire.

    “INEC officials and youth corps members were caught yesterday with prepared result sheets even before the commencement of the processes. A youth corps member was arrested with a prepared result and N1 million in his bag.”

    Melaye further accused INEC officials and youth corps members of being caught with pre-prepared result sheets, suggesting a compromise of the electoral process.

    Hours earlier, social media had been flooded with alleged result sheets for the Kogi governorship election, intensifying concerns over the integrity of the electoral process.

    In a parallel move, the SDP, through its agent David Edibo, presented a petition to the State Returning Officer, urging INEC to cancel the election results from Kogi Central.

    The SDP said it did not accept the outcome of the election in the five local government areas within the senatorial district, raising objections despite opposition from the APC agent, Idris King.

    As the collation of results continued, tensions heightened with Governor Yahaya Bello and APC candidate Usman Adodo hailing from Kogi Central.

  • Kogi Guber: Court orders security agencies to protect SDP’s Ajaka 

    Justice Inyang Ekwo of a Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday ordered security agencies in the country to provide maximum security to the candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), in the November governorship election in Kogi State, Murtala Ajaka.

    The order is following an ex-parte application made before the court by the governorship flagbearer, dated July 11, seeking a restraining order against the security agencies from arresting, inviting, detaining, or threatening the applicant’s life and property pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit. 

    By the order, the security agencies which include the Chief of Defence Staff, Army, Navy, DSS and Police are to guarantee the safety of the SDP candidate, pending the hearing of a suit filed before the court.

    Defendants in the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/952/2023, are the Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, the Inspector General (IG) of Police, the Commissioner of Police (Kogi State), DSS, the Director General of DSS, Director DSS (Kogi State), Commandant General of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Chief of Defence Staff, Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Naval Staff as 1st to 11th respondents, respectively.

    The court held that Ajaka’s request through his counsel, Mr. Sunday Aruwa, SAN, was meritorious and accordingly granted it as prayed.

    “An Order is hereby made restraining the respondents, their agents, servants and anybody acting through or under them from arresting, inviting, detaining or threatening the applicant’s life and property pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit. 

    “An Order is hereby made compelling the 2nd – 11th respondents to immediately provide maximum security to the applicant in Abuja FCT, Kogi State, and elsewhere in Nigeria pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit”, the judge ruled.

    Before adjourning to July 21 for a hearing, the court ordered the applicant to serve the respondents with all the processes in this suit together with the Order of the Court. 

    Before the court’s order on Thursday, Ajaka had earlier petitioned Governor Yahaya Bello to the IGP, Mr Olukayode Egbetokun over an alleged threat to his life, as well as that of members of his family.