A civil society organization, United Front for Democracy (UFD), has raised the alarm over alleged plot by Social Democratic Party (SDP) to smuggle its election petition challenging the outcome of November 11 governorship election in Kogi state through the backdoor.
Addressing a press conference in Lokoja on Monday, Convener of UFD, Barr. Yetunde Olubunmi Shaibu alleged plots by SDP and its governorship candidate, Alhaji Murtala Yakubu Ajaka, to backdate its petition at the tribunal after failing to within 21 days as stipulated by the Electoral Act.
Shaibu stated that the organisation has credible intelligence that the candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) is yet to file his petition against the winner of the election, Alh. Ahmed Usman Ododo, 22 days after the declaration of results.
“The results of the election were declared on Sunday, 12th November, 2023. The 21 days window elapsed at the midnight of December 3, 2023.
“Section 134 of the Electoral Act is very clear as to when an electoral petition can be filed with all allegations and evidence relating to the petition front-loaded. By virtue of Section 134 of the Electoral Act, the SDP has failed to file their petition within the period allowed by law and should therefore be made not to waste the time of the honourable panel.
“The wisdom of the Electoral Act is that anyone with credible evidence should be able to put such forward within the legally stipulated period. We are however disappointed that the SDP is about to lose the opportunity to test the law with a competent petition. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the African Democratic Congress (ADC) opted to avoid the embarrassment of searching in futility for evidence by deciding not to challenge the election at the tribunal.
“Inasmuch as we would want to leave the determination of the validity of a petition filed out of time to the Honourable Panel to determine, we owe the populace a social and legal responsibility to expose a clandestine move by the SDP and its candidate to file their petition through the backdoor and backdate same to circumvent the provisions of the Electoral Act.
“Our very credible source revealed that the SDP and its candidate are still preparing their petition with the intention of filing same within the week and have it backdated so as to make it look like it was filed within the legally stipulated duration. This must not be allowed to happen in the spirit of justice, equity and fairness.
“As a Civil Society Organization, our wish was to see elections challenged, but in a proper way that satisfies the requirements of administrative, judicial and legal procedures. Anything short of that will lead to a dangerous compromise and will be challenged with incontrovertible facts and evidence,” she said.
The organization called on the Governorship Election Petition Tribunal to “switch on its lights to fish out staff members who have been contracted to mess up with the integrity of our highly respected judiciary. We are watching and the world is watching to ensure the right thing is done.”
However, in a swift reaction, the Director New Media for SDP/MuriSam Campaign Council, Isaiah Davies Ijele, debunked the allegations.
In a statement on Monday, Ijele said “For the records, the SDP paid for the filling on the 1st Friday and filed on the Saturday, 2nd December, 2023. “Go and Verify
“We are not surprised that a dubious group like the United Front For Democracy can lie to the press and the world because conniving with enemies of democracy has been their trademark. This unknown group that is financed by looters of public funds lacks the moral right to talk about the SDP.”
He called on the public to disregard the group’s position as it is untrue.
