Abuja, Nigeria – Murtala Ajaka, the 2023 governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Kogi State, was violently attacked at the Supreme Court on Friday, shortly after the court affirmed Usman Ododo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the duly elected governor of the state.
In a disturbing video obtained by SaharaReporters, Ajaka is seen being assaulted by suspected hoodlums who pelted him with water and beat him as he was leaving the court premises. His security team desperately attempted to shield him and escort him to safety amidst the chaos. The motive behind the attack remains unclear, and as of this report, neither Ajaka nor representatives from the SDP have released an official statement regarding the incident.
The attack occurred moments after the Supreme Court delivered its ruling, dismissing Ajaka’s appeal to annul Ododo’s victory in the November 11, 2023, Kogi State governorship election. The five-member panel, led by Justice Sadiq Umar, resolved all issues against the appellants, stating that the appeal lacked merit.
Ajaka had petitioned the court, seeking to nullify Ododo’s Certificate of Return and demanding a new election in five local government areas, alleging over-voting and the submission of forged documents by the APC candidate. However, the tribunal and appellate court both dismissed these claims, ruling that the petition was incompetent and that the evidence presented was insufficient to overturn the election results.
With the Supreme Court’s decision, Usman Ododo’s governorship is now legally uncontested, further solidifying his victory, which was initially declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) with 446,237 votes against Ajaka’s 259,052 votes.
As the dust settles from this judicial and physical conflict, the political atmosphere in Kogi State remains tense, with many awaiting further developments and official statements from the parties involved.