Tribunal upholds Benue gov’s election
The Benue State Gubernatorial Election Petition Tribunal yesterday upheld the election of Governor Hyacinth Alia of the All Progressives Congress (APC). The tribunal held in the case brought before it by Titus Uba, the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), that the allegations against the APC and its candidate could not be proven by the petitioners.
Delivering judgement, the threemember panel, led by Justice Ibrahim Karaye, unanimously held that the petition against Alia was incompetent because issues raised therein were pre-election matters and ought to have been heard and determined by the Federal High Court.
Justice Karaye, therefore, struck out Uba’s petition for want of jurisdiction, stressing that the case was an abuse of process.
The petitioners had prayed, among other things, for the nullification of their (APC) election and to declare them (petitioners) winners of the said election, having scored second highest lawful votes.
But Justice Karaye held that the petitioners failed to prove their allegations of forgery against the third respondent before the tribunal.
The tribunal added that the second and third respondents were qualified to contest the March 18 governorship election, and therefore, dismissed the case.
Meanwhile, Governor Alia has dedicated his victory to God and the people of Benue State.
He said the tribunal, in its verdict reaffirmed the sacred mandate freely expressed and given to him by the people of the state at the poll.
The governor, while reacting to the judegment through Tersoo Kula, his spokesman, said, “It is victory for democracy and the rule of law. The court has indicated once again that it is the last hope of the common man and that no might is powerful enough to thwart the supreme will of the people and claim power through the backdoor.”
The governor assured the people of the state that he was committed to putting the welfare of the state ahead of self, saying he recognised the fact that his victory was that of the people to whom sovereignty and power truly belongs.