December 4, 2015 – A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja today ruled that it has no jurisdiction to entertain the suit filed by Governor Idris Wada of Kogi State and Deputy Governorship candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in the election on the ground that it had no jurisdiction to hear the suit.
Wada had approached the court to declare him winner of the election since the APC Governorship candidate, Prince Abubakar Audu died in the election that was declared inconclusive by INEC.
APC Deputy Governorship candidate on his part had approached the court, urging it to declare him the dully elected Governor of Kogi State following the death of his principal.
His argument was that INEC was wrong to have declared the election inconclusive on the basis that 49,000 electorates in 91 polling units in Kogi State were yet to cast their votes whereas only 25,000 PVC were issued for the 91 units and thus eligible to vote.
Ruling on the matter, Justice Gabriel Kolawole declined jurisdiction adding that it will amount to ‘idle indulgence’ to entertain the suit. He called on the parties to approach the electoral tribunal for judgement after the election scheduled for Saturday, December 5, 2015.
He said that the issue of legality of the supplementary election can only be determined by the tribunal.
