Kogi State Tribunal Admits Multiple Age Declaration by Kogi Deputy Governor, Edward Onoja
Kogi Deputy governor, Edward Onoja’s double birth certificate status has been admitted as evidence in the ongoing Kogi state Governorship election petition tribunal holding in Abuja.
This is sequeal to a motion brought by SDP Governorship candidate in the last November election at the tribunal, Barrister Natasha Hadiza Akpoti’s counsel who argued vehemently on the discrepancy in Onoja’s age.
According to her counsel, Chief Edward David Onoja declared his age with Guaranty Trust Bank as being born in 1974, while in the INEC documents, he declared to have been born in 1975.
The two distinctive documents were admitted as strong evidence by the tribunal having noticed some discrepancies as both were sworn under oath.
The two documents after admission were immediately attached to the other documents for further action by the tribunal .
Counsel to the state Govenor and Deputy Governor, did not raise any objection against the allegations and observation of Natasha’s legal team.
The SDP candidate wants the tribunal to ask Bello to vacate the seat and order the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct a fresh election
According to her, the election was marred by irregularities and violence.
She wants the tribunal to declare the election null and void following the omission of her name from some of the result sheets and incidences of her name being written with a pen on some result sheets.
Akpoti included as respondents to her suit, Governor Bello, his running mate, Edward Onoja; INEC, and the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Akpoti is joined in the suit as second petitioner by Kogi SDP chairman, Mouktar Atimah.
Governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the election, Musa Wada, also filed a 1,500-page petition at the tribunal.
