The Kogi Central senatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Barr. Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, has rejected the results of the senatorial election held on February 25, 2023 in Kogi State.
In a statement obtained by our correspondent and personally signed by the candidate, she noted that manipulations of the processes, doctoring of figures, cancellation of polling unit results where she won and invasion of many polling units by armed thugs, were reasons for the rejection of the exercise.
She, therefore, called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to review the results and declare her as the rightful winner of the 2023 Kogi Central Senatorial election.
The statement partly reads: “Electoral process in Okene local government was highly manipulated in connivance with the electoral officials. APC thugs invaded many polling units in Okene local government, chased out voters and snatched ballot boxes which were filled in private residences.
“APC in collaboration with INEC officials disregarded electoral guidelines, fraudulently rigged Okene local government area with high number of over-voting. The results of the 11 Wards in Okene local government were highly doctored.
“The returning officer of Ajaokuta LGA was harrassed and coarsed by officials of Kogi state government and APC to cancel 12 polling units in Ajaokuta LGA where Nataaha Akpoti-Uduaghan won with a wide margin and declared the results of the 12 polling units inconclusive.
“In Okehi local government area, APC thugs invaded the three Wards of Oboroke Uvete, Oboroke Eba Ward I & II and burnt 20 polling units where Natasha won with high margin.
“Despite APC rigging scheme, Barr. Natasha won Ajaokuta with 1, 355 votes lead. To ensure the APC candidate is announced at all cost, the 1,355 votes lead in Ajaokuta was forcefully reduced to 878.
“Despite the 12 polling units that were forcefully canceled and declared inconclusive in Ajaokuta LGA and the 20 polling units where election did not hold in Oboroke, Okehi Local Government Area, the Returning Officer for Kogi Central Senatorial election was coerced to announce APC candidate as the winner with 365 votes lead.
“The good people of Nigeria should know that the INEC guidelines were flagrantly disregarded in Kogi Central to subvert the will of the good people of Kogi Central.
“It should be noted that the APC candidate was announced as the winner when 12 polling units with high number of voters were declared inconclusive in Ajaokuta LGA and 20 polling units where election did not hold in Oboroke, Okehi LGA.
“Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan rejects the results and calls on INEC to review the results and declare her as the rightful winner of the 2023 Kogi Central Senatorial elections for this is the only act that gets justice for the people of Kogi Central senatorial district.
“Barr. Natasha appreciates the good people of Kogi Central who came out to vote for her despite the threat and intimidation and stood firm in many areas, assuring them of recovering their mandate.”
