Hon. Yakubu Adabenege Congratulates Gov. Ododo on Tribunal Victory »

The Auditor-General for Local Government, Hon. Siyaka Yakubu Adabenege, has congratulated Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo, the All Progressives Congress (APC), and the entire people of Kogi State for the resounding victory of the Governor at the Kogi State Election Petition Tribunal.

Hon. Yakubu expressed his excitement in a press statement he personally signed and made available to the Fancy Media Team (FMT) and other journalists in Abuja immediately after the judgement was delivered in favour of Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo.

The Auditor-General for Local Government who praised the wisdom and tenacity of the tribunal judges throughout the legal proceedings stated that the judgment is a perfect reflection and affirmation of the will of the majority of the people of Kogi State, who turned out massively on 11th November 2024 to elect Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo.

According to Hon. Yakubu, the legal battle, although distracting, was not completely needless as it deepens democratic culture, which permits aggrieved or dissatisfied members of the opposition parties to seek possible redress or clarifications in a court of competent jurisdiction, stressing that all lingering issues concerning the 11th November election have been laid bare for the understanding of all parties involved.

“I want to use this opportunity to appreciate the people of Kogi State for their overwhelming support throughout the period of presidential and governorship elections to this point of the legal verdict.

“Since the emergence of Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo as the flag bearer of the APC for the 11th November governorship election, we knew that he would succeed due to your support and the verifiable achievements of his predecessor which he has used as a launch pad for greater achievements in the state,” he said.

Hon. Yakubu specifically appreciated the immediate past Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello; Kogi State APC chairman, Hon. Abdullahi Bello; the Honourable Minister for Steel Development, Prince Abubakar Shaibu, who acted as the Director-General of the Ododo/Oyibo Governorship Campaign Organisation; and several other stakeholders, saying that their show of patriotism would never be betrayed by Alhaji Ododo who is poised to continue the good work of his predecessor.

He emphasised that Alhaji Ododo’s mandate represents the true Kogi State agenda, judging from the spread of votes he garnered from all the senatorial districts and the affirmation of the unbiased judges, stressing that the ethnic agenda that attempted to resurface during the election period has been decisively buried by the outcome of the tribunal judgment.

However, the Fancy Media Team (FMT) reports that while the certificate forgery issue raised by the petitioners against Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo was dismissed as a pre-election matter, the tribunal also dutifully struck out the SDP BVAS expert testimony for falling short of the Evidence Act.

compiled by FMT