A/Court reserves judgment in Akume, Jev's case, affirms Moro's victory

The Court of Appeal yesterday reserved judgment in the appeal filed by Senator George Akume of APC against Barrister Emmanuel Orker Jev of PDP.

Akume, not satisfied with the earlier decision of the National/State Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal which upheld the return of Jev as duly elected senator representing Benue Northwest senatorial district, appealed the case.

He has prayed the appellate court through his counsel, Isiaka Dikko, (SAN) to set aside the decision of the tribunal, allow the appeal and declare him (Akume) as winner of the election.

Dikko believes that if the unlawful votes were removed from the total votes cast at the election, his client, Akume now a minister, would emerge winner of the election.

But Jev's counsel, Edward Ashiekaa (SAN), has urged the court to dismiss the appeal for lacking in merit, emphasising that the records of the lower court were transmitted in disobedience to the enabling act.

On the of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Barrister Pusa Tyson, who held the briefs of Zakawanu Garba, urged the court to allow the cross appeal.

The presiding judge, Justice Jumai Sankey, after listening to the arguments from both counsel, reserved judgment to a later date to be communicated to parties concerned in the matter. part

Meanwhile, the Court of Appeal in Makurdi Judicial Division has affirmed the election of Comrade Abba Moro as the Senator representing Benue South Senatorial district.

The presiding judge, Justice Jumai Sankey, upheld the earlier judgment of the National/State Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal which ruled in favour of Moro.

Chief Stephen Lawani of the All Progressives Congress (APC) had filed a petition to the tribunal challenging the victory of Moro of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Justice Sankey dismissed the appeal in favour of Moro on grounds that it was an academic exercise.

The appeal court awarded the sum of N200,000 against the appellants.