The legal tussle on who occupies the Kogi Central Senatorial seat took a new dimension as Appeal Court nullified the election of All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Mohammed Salami Ohiare and ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct fresh election in respect of the Kogi Central Senatorial District without the participation of Mohammed Ohiare.
The decision of the Appellant Court was informed by the dissenting judgement delivered by the Tribunal (see below)
The dissenting judgment at the Tribunal held that Mohammed Ohiare was not qualified in the election and that his election was void and null and therefore ordered a fresh election without his participation by virtue of section 140(1) and (2) of the electoral act.
The Appeal Court ordered INEC to therefore conduct a fresh election without Mohammed. Ohiare participation within 90days.
It will be recalled that the Kogi Central Senatorial Election was a keenly contested election between Mohammed Ohiare, Ahmed Ogembe and the then incumbent Senator Nurudeen Abatemi.
With respect to the Appeal Court Judgement for a fresh election in the district, Ahmed Ogembe seem to have the brightest chance in the coming rerun as Mohammed Ohiare has been barred from participating in the rerun while Nurudeen Abatemi who was the candidate of the PPA to the election had recently decamped to APC and therefore cannot participate in the coming rerun.
