By Samson Kukwa-Yanor, Makurdi
The Court of Appeal sitting in Makurdi, Benue State, has ordered the All Progressives Congress to conduct fresh primary elections in 11 of the 23 local councils of the state to determine the nomination of its gubernatorial candidate for the coming general election.
The justices, who sat during the judgment, were Mohammed Danjuma, Abraham Biobelle and Ibrahim Jauro. Reading the judgment on the appeal filed by one of the governorship aspirants, Prof. Terhemba Shija, Justice Danjuma said the court agreed with Shija in his assertion that there was no valid primary election on May 27, 2022 by the APC for the nomination of its gubernatorial candidate and Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia was declared winner.
According to him, after evaluating evidence submitted by the applicant, including the appeal panel’s report that sat after the primaries, the court concurred that the primary election was not valid.
However the court agreed with APC on the primary election rerun of June 9, 2022 in 12 local councils and declared it valid. The court ordered fresh primary elections in Gboko, Gwer East, Gwer West, Guma, Katsina Ala, Logo, Makurdi, Otukpo, Ukum, Tarka and Vandeikya.
It also ordered that the results of the June 9, 2022 primaries and the one to be conducted afresh should be added and the aspirant with the highest number of votes be declared winner.
REACTING, Alia appealed to his supporters to remain calm, saying he respects the judgment of the court.
“We are law-abiding citizens and respect the judgment of the courts. I appeal to our teeming supporters to remain calm.”
We are still going to be on the ballot. We are all in this for God and the greater good of our state.”
Benue APC chairman, Austin Agada, also enjoined party supporters to remain calm, as the people had already spoken. “We believe that the voice of people is the voice of God,” he added.
Source: The Guardian
