Kogi Election Tribunal: Court Official Testifies Against Ododo, Says His Age Affidavit Is Fake”

Supporters and members of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Kogi State are currently in a jubilant mood following the testimony of a representative from the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court at the Kogi Election Tribunal.

The witness confirmed that Governor Usman Ahmed Ododo’s affidavit, which was attached to his INEC form, was fake and did not originate from the court.

SDP’s governorship candidate in the November 11, 2023 Kogi election, Murtala Yakubu Ajaka, had filed a lawsuit against Ododo for certificate forgery as part of an electoral matter before the tribunal, seeking to invalidate his election. Ajaka claimed that the age declaration attached to Ododo’s document was forged, as it was issued on a non-working day, Saturday, August 2, 2003.

During the resumed proceeding on Thursday, the FCT High Court witness, Danmusa Williams, appeared to confirm the status of the certificate. The witness, who identified himself as a civil servant and Commissioner for Oath, testified that the affidavit deposed by Ahmed Usman Ododo was indeed fake.

Under cross-examination by the counsel for INEC, Kanu Agabi (SAN), the witness stated that he had reported the matter to the court’s registrar upon discovering that the date on the affidavit fell on a Sunday. However, he clarified that he did not have the authority to confront the alleged forger or report the matter to the police or INEC.

In a related development, the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) machine has exposed discrepancies in BVAS records, which have been admitted as evidence in court. The reports pertain to the BVAS used in Okene, Okehi, Adavi, and some parts of Ajaokuta and Lokoja.

As the election matter continues simultaneously with the certificate forgery case, SDP supporters are hopeful that the testimony of the FCT High Court witness will strengthen their case against Governor Ododo’s election.