Court Affirms Ododo Kogi APC Gov’ship Candidate 

The Federal High Court in Abuja has affirmed an ex-Auditor General of Local Government in Kogi State, Usman Ododo, as the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the November 11, 2023 governorship election in the state.

Justice Obiora Egwuatu of the Federal High Court on Tuesday dismissed a suit that was brought before it by an APC governorship aspirant of the party, Abubakar Achimugu.

Recall that Ododo emerged as the winner of the party’s primary conducted in the state on April 14.

Achimugu had, however, approached the court to challenge Ododo’s victory, alleging that he didn’t resign his employment with the Kogi State Public Service at least 30 days before he participated in the election.

Achimugu claimed that Ododo’s failure to resign within the statutorily stipulated period amounted to a breach of Section 182 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, and Section 84 of the Electoral Act, 2022, as well as Article 7 of APC’s Constitution.

The plaintiff specifically prayed the court to declare that the 2nd and 3rd defendants, at the time of the concluded primary election of April 14, 2023, and April 15, when results was announced, were not qualified or eligible, not validly nominated. The purported nomination is unconstitutional and not eligible to bear the flag of the APC as its governorship candidate for the Kogi State governorship election slated for November 11, 2023.

Achimugu also prayed the court to make an order nullifying and setting aside the screening and participation of the 2nd and 3rd defendants in the April 14 governorship primary election for the nomination of the candidate of APC, having been in breach of Section 182 of the Constitution and Section 84 of the Electoral Act, 2022, Article 7 of the APC Constitution.

In his judgment, Justice Egwuatu held that there was enough evidence before the court that Ododo validly resigned from service before participating in the primary.

According to the court, exhibits that were adduced before it established that Ododo’s resignation letter was received by the Office of the Kogi State Governor on March 8.

The court held that the defendant’s resignation took effect from the moment the Kogi State Government received his letter that conveyed the notice.

It, therefore, dismissed the suit for want of merit.