Kogi: S/Court Rejects Ajaka’s Plea On Panel Enlargement, Reserves Judgment

The Supreme Court has reserved its judgment on the appeal filed by Murtala Ajaka, the Social Democratic Party (SDP) candidate in the Kogi State governorship election, challenging the previous rulings of both the tribunal and the Court of Appeal.

During Monday’s hearing, August 19, 2024, Ajaka’s counsel, Pius Akubo (SAN), requested that a full panel of the Supreme Court—comprising seven justices instead of the standard five—hear the appeal. Akubo referenced specific paragraphs in the appellant’s brief that, in his view, warranted a larger panel. However, the Supreme Court declined this request, with Justice Garba Lawal, leading the five-member panel, stating that election appeals are time-sensitive, and the five-justice panel was sufficient to determine the matter.

Representatives for the respondents, including Emmanuel Ukala (SAN) for the All Progressives Congress (APC), Kanu Agabi (SAN) for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and Joseph Daudu (SAN) for Governor Usman Ododo, opposed Akubo’s application. They argued that the five-member panel had the jurisdiction to hear the appeal, and the court agreed.

The court proceeded with the hearing, during which Daudu moved to strike out certain grounds in Ajaka’s notice of appeal and filed a preliminary objection questioning the appeal’s competence. Akubo, however, urged the court to overturn the previous judgments and declare Ajaka as the duly elected governor of Kogi State.

In conclusion, Justice Lawal announced that the judgment would be reserved and communicated to all parties at a later date.
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