After his anointed candidate Sen Abubakar Ohere lost to Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, the Senatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in Kogi State Election Tribunal, available reports showed Governor Yahaya Bello has dragged some prominent figures in the State to lobby Bola Tinubu to influence the Appeal Court ruling and upturn the tribunal victory of the PDP candidate.
Yahaya Bello popularly called ‘The White Lion’, allegedly brought all 6 Ohis in his hometown of Kogi Central namely Ohi of Adavi, Okengwe, Okene, Ihima, Eika and Eganyi amongst other prominent personalities who have been in Abuja for the past two days to see Tinubu.
An inside source who spoke to Parallel Facts claimed the emissaries are reportedly waiting to meet Tinubu to persuade him to influence the Appeal Court ruling in favour of Yahaya Bello’s anointed candidate.
“Bello is trying to convince the president that Natasha’s victory in Appeal Court will affect the success of the APC in the upcoming November governorship poll in Kogi,” the source told our reporter.
Recall that Kogi State Election Petition Tribunal in its ruling on September 6 declared Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan as the authentic winner of the election.
Natasha’s declaration as winner by the tribunal followed its nullification of the victory of Sen Abubakar Ohere of the All Progressive Congress (APC).
The Tribunal Chairman, Justice K. A. Orjiako, who read the unanimous judgment of the 3-man panel, said Ohere’s votes were inflated in nine polling units in Ajaokuta Local Government.
“Natasha’s votes were intentionally reduced in the same nine polling units by the INEC Ward Collation officers.
“After making the proper corrections, Natasha Akpoti-Uduagan (PDP), having polled 54,074 against Abubakar Ohere’s 51,291, is hereby declared the authentic winner,” he declared.
The Kogi State Government is yet to react to this report as at press time, as all efforts to reach the Chief Press Secretary to the Kogi Governor, Onogwu Muhammed proved abortive.