Natasha-Akpoti petitions IGP, wants Kogi LGA chairman investigated for destroying ballot boxes, intimidating INEC officials during polls
Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the Kogi Central senatorial election held on February 25, has petitioned the Inspector General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba, to look into allegations that the chairman of Adavi local government area in Kogi state, Joseph Omuya Salami, harassed voters and INEC officials on election day.
In a petition obtained by Peoples Gazette on Tuesday, Falana & Falana chambers, the legal counsel to Ms. Akpoti-Uduaghan claimed that the local government chairman and his police escort visited polling units in the local government and destroyed ballot boxes in areas where Ms. Akpoti-Uduaghan had a larger share of votes.
“Between 12 noon and 2pm while voting and collation of results was ongoing on the 25th of February, 2023 several of our client’s polling agents in Adavi local Government area ofKogi State Hon. Joseph Omuya Salami in the company of his police escorts were going around destroying ballot boxes that were already thumb printed by voters in favour of our client at the various polling units,” the petition partly read.
Ms. Akpoti-Uduaghan further claimed that the local government chairman tore ballots that had already been thumb printed in her favour in a bid to reduce the margin against the candidate of the All Progressives Congress.
She argued that the local government chairman’s actions during the election violated the 2022 electoral act’s provision.
Calling on the IGP to investigate the Local Government chairman, the petition further read “It is our client’s instruction to request you to use your good office to investigate the said offences which contravenes section 115 (1) (f) & (j), 125, 126 (3) (4) of the electoral Act 2022.”
Ms. Akpoti-Uduaghan had last week rejected the outcome of the senatorial election that saw Abubakar Sadiku-Ohere emerge as winner of the poll.
The PDP candidate alleged that thugs manipulated the process, doctored figures, cancelled polling units where she won, and invaded many polling units.
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