Murtala Ajaka, Kogi SDP candidate, was assaulted after the Supreme Court upheld Usman Ododo's gubernatorial victory. The attack occurred following the court's dismissal of Ajaka's election challenge. This incident raises concerns about Nigeria's democracy and highlights the need for electoral reforms.
In a tense scene at the Supreme Court, Murtala Ajaka, the Social Democratic Party (SDP) candidate for governor in Kogi State, was attacked by unidentified individuals shortly after the court confirmed Usman Ododo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the legitimate winner of the state's gubernatorial election. The attack, captured on video, followed the court's dismissal of Ajaka's challenge to the election results, which had declared Ododo the winner in the November 11, 2023 election.
The apex court's five-member panel ruled unanimously, upholding the results announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). The ruling sparked outrage among Ajaka's supporters, some of whom resorted to violence, throwing bottles and other objects at him outside the court.
Nigerians have condemned the attack as not only an assault on Ajaka but also on the democratic process itself.
In the aftermath, reactions on social media were polarized, with some expressing sympathy for Ajaka, while others voiced frustration with the political process in Nigeria. This incident highlights the challenges facing Nigeria's electoral system and the urgent need for reforms to ensure peaceful and credible elections in the future.
