Kogi guber: SDP candidate, Ajaka rejects tribunal judgment

• Says Journey to freedom just begun

By Christiana Ekpa

The gubernatorial of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Kogi state,  Alhaji Murtala Yakubu Ajaka has said his loss at the tribunal to Governor Usman Ododo is just a temporary set back as he is set to pursue the case to the highest court.

Ajaka, who was reacting to the verdict of the Kogi State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, which dismissed his petition against Governor Ododo said “A long walk to freedom has just begun”

According to him “Today, I come before you with a heavy heart, but also with a fire of optimism burning in my soul. We have just received the news that our election petition has been unsuccessful at the tribunal.

“It is a setback, a moment of disappointment, and it is natural for us to feel disheartened. But let me tell you this, my fellow Kogites, this is not the end of our journey. This is just a chapter in our fight for justice, truth, the rights of our people and freedom”.

Ajaka affirmed that “Despite the outcome at the tribunal, I am proud to say that we had a team of brilliant lawyers who did an outstanding job in proving the case of overvoting during the election.

“Their dedication, expertise, and unwavering commitment to upholding the principles of democracy have left an indelible mark on our case as we push further”.

The SDP candidate disclosed that “Throughout the entire process, our lawyers exhibited the highest level of professionalism and tenacity. They meticulously gathered evidence, scrutinized data, and presented a compelling case to the tribunal, but the tribunal despite agreeing to over-voting struck our case out.

According to him,”These lawyers did not fail us. We are very optimistic that they will be vindicated by the end of the petition. I can assure you that this judgment will not stand the test of time.

“Yes, we may have lost the battle at the tribunal, but the war is far from over. Our stolen mandate, our voice, our power, will not be silenced. We will rise from the ashes of this defeat, stronger and more determined than ever before.

“Today, we must encourage each other to be hopeful, to be relentless in our pursuit of justice, and to keep our faith unwavering”.

According to him, “It is in times like these that our resilience is tested. We must remember why we embarked on this political journey in the first place. Our dreams, our hopes for a better future for Kogi, for a fairer society, for the upliftment of the marginalized, for the protection of our people, and for the progress of our state – these dreams are not dependent on a single election outcome.

“We must remind ourselves that our fight is not just about winning an election; it is about standing up for what is right, for what is just, and for what we believe in.

“Our opponents may have won this first round, the battle, but they have not won the war. We will take this fight to the very end, where justice will prevail. We will reclaim our stolen mandate and restore the faith of our people in the democratic process.

“Let us not lose sight of the bigger picture. We have been given an opportunity, a platform to make a difference. Losing at the tribunal does not make us losers; it makes us fighters, warriors who will not back down in the face of adversity.”