Kogi State Government has given indication to appeal the judgment of a high court in the state, which nullified the state local government election held on 4th May 2013.
The ruling which virtually took the state government seemingly unaware was delivered by a high court in Koton-Karfe, by Justice Omolaye Ajileye.
Reacting to the judgment on Monday, a state government functionary said apart from appealing against the ruling, it would also file a motion for stay of execution of the ruling.
Even though there was no official confirmation from the appropriate quarters, The Graphic noted that the general consensus was to appeal the judgement, as it cannot afford to dismantle the democratic structure presently.
It could be recalled that a state High Court sitting in Koton-Karfe on Monday nullified the May 2013 local government elections which brought in the incumbent 21 council chairmen across Kogi State.
The presiding judge, Justice Ajileye also ordered that the most senior Director in each of the local governments to act as chairmen pending the conduct of fresh elections.
Delivering a two-hour judgement, the presiding judge said that based on the evidence before the court, the election was not properly conducted mainly on the fact that some of the defendants in the suit, notably, the Chairman of Kogi State Independent Electoral Commission (KOSIEC), Abraham Olaniyan was a card-carrying member of People’s democratic Party (PDP).
Source: The Graphic
