Kogi guber: Court asked to disqualify APC candidate, Ahmed Ododo

By Vivian Okejeme Abuja

An aggrieved governorship All Progressive Congress APC candidate, Abubakar Achimugu, has asked a federal high court, Abuja to disqualify (APC), Ahmed Usman Ododo from contesting the forthcoming governorship election in Kogi State.

The Plaintiff posited that Ododo is not qualified to fly the flag of the APC in the November 11, 2023 governorship poll, having failed to resign his employment with the Kogi State public service before contesting the governorship primary, which he won.

According to him, Ododo breached Section 182 of the Constitution, Section 84 of the Electoral Act, 2022, and Article 7 of the APC’s Constitution in participating in the April 14 governorship primary of the APC.

In the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/ CS/584/2023, the plaintiff is claiming that Ododo’s failure to resign his appointment with the Kogi State Government, 30 days to the primary, made him ineligible for the November 11, guber poll.

Mentioned as Respondents in the matter are, APC, Ododo, the deputy governorship candidate, Salami Momodu Deedat and the Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC) as 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th respondents respectively.

Amongst the issues brought before the court for determination is that whether the 2nd defendant is eligible to participate in the forthcoming governorship election slated for November 11, 2023, in view of the fact that both at the time of submitting of nomination and expression of interest forms and the conduct and declaration