The Kogi State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, which convened in Abuja, has upheld the victory of Usman Ahmed Ododo as the duly elected governor of Kogi State.

The tribunal dismissed the petition filed by the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and its governorship candidate, Murtala Ajaka. The three-member panel, led by Justice Ado Birnin-Kudu, delivered the judgment.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had previously declared Usman Ododo of the All Progressive Congress (APC) as the winner of the election held on November 11, 2023. The State Returning Officer, Prof Johnson Urama, announced Ododo as the winner, with a total of 446,237 votes.

The petitioners had raised concerns about alleged over-voting and forgery of personal documents submitted to INEC. However, the tribunal ruled in favor of Ododo and dismissed the petitioners’ claims.