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Abuja, Nigeria – Murtala Ajaka, the 2023 governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Celebration (SDP) in Kogi State, was violently attacked on the Supreme Court docket on Friday, shortly after the court docket affirmed Usman Ododo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) because the duly elected governor of the state.
In a disturbing video obtained by SaharaReporters, Ajaka is seen being assaulted by suspected hoodlums who pelted him with water and beat him as he was leaving the court docket premises. His safety workforce desperately tried to protect him and escort him to security amidst the chaos. The motive behind the assault stays unclear, and as of this report, neither Ajaka nor representatives from the SDP have launched an official assertion relating to the incident.
The assault occurred moments after the Supreme Court docket delivered its ruling, dismissing Ajaka’s attraction to annul Ododo’s victory within the November 11, 2023, Kogi State governorship election. The five-member panel, led by Justice Sadiq Umar, resolved all points towards the appellants, stating that the attraction lacked advantage.
Ajaka had petitioned the court docket, searching for to nullify Ododo’s Certificates of Return and demanding a brand new election in 5 native authorities areas, alleging over-voting and the submission of cast paperwork by the APC candidate. Nonetheless, the tribunal and appellate court docket each dismissed these claims, ruling that the petition was incompetent and that the proof offered was inadequate to overturn the election outcomes.
With the Supreme Court docket’s resolution, Usman Ododo’s governorship is now legally uncontested, additional solidifying his victory, which was initially declared by the Impartial Nationwide Electoral Fee (INEC) with 446,237 votes towards Ajaka’s 259,052 votes.
Because the mud settles from this judicial and bodily battle, the political ambiance in Kogi State stays tense, with many awaiting additional developments and official statements from the events concerned.
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