Kogi State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal ,Sitting in Abuja has awarded one thousand naira cost in favour of Muri Ajaka of the Social Democratic Party ( SDP)
The tribunal which resumed pre – hearing sitting this morning at about 9 am came hard on the All Progressives Congress (APC) which is the third respondent in the case for inconsistency in filling and withdrawing papers it filed after responses by parties.
The motion for the withdrawal of the earlier motion was not challanged by the led counsel to the candidate of the social democratic party ,Barr J.S Okutepa ( SAN) but asked for a cost ,having wasted the precious time to respond to the motion.
The tribunal chiarman in his rulling , ordered the third respondedent to pay one hundred thousand naira only as cost while another motion was filed and served as a replacement by APC counsel.
The chiarman added that much time has been spent after the filling of the petition on the 2nd December ,2023 and that the tribunal has two weeks to complete the ongoing pre – hearing conference and subsequently directed the parties to exchange briefs and other relevant documents before the next adjoined that which is 31st January ,2024 for continuation of pre – hearing conference.
It could be recalled that ,Alh Murtala Yakubu Ajaka ,the candidate of the Social Democratic party ( SDP) is challenging the declaration of the All Progressive Congress APC and its candidate Alh Ahmed Usman Ododo as Kogi state governor over overvoting in some LGAs of kogi state among other electoral offences.
