The Litoral Penitentiary, where the suspects where killed, is the biggest prison in Ecuador and has the reputation of being the most dangerous in the country.
The panel consequently set aside the tribunal’s judgment, allowed the appeal and affirmed Mr Zakari’s election victory.
The defector, Ismail Inah, is a former House of Representatives member who once represented the Idah Federal Constituency in Kogi.
The commission said adequate preparations had been made to transport materials and training of ad hoc staff to avoid a repeat of the sabotage witnessed during the 2023 general elections.
“As it stands in Kogi today, there’s nothing like hierarchy or privilege when it comes to participation within the party.”
He said the committee was expected to interface with all contending people in the state.
The defected chairs defected to the ruling APC with scores of their supporters.
The tribunal held that the petitioners could not prove the allegations that Mr Otti did not score the majority of the votes cast in the Abia governorship election.
“We want the opposition to allow our president, who God gave to us, to breathe. Please allow him to breathe for the sake of the masses,” Mr Idimogu said.
