Court Nullifies APC Governorship Primaries In Benue

The court of Appeal sitting in Makurdi has nullified the All Progressives Congress, primary election in 11 LGAs and has ordered the party to conduct a fresh primary election in eleven local Government areas of Benue state for the nomination of its Gubernatorial Candidate ahead of the 2023 general elections.

Delivering the judgment in the appeal filed by one of the Aspirants on the platform of the APC, the court agreed with Prof. Shija in his assertion that there was no valid primary election held on the 27th of May by APC for the nomination of its Gubernatorial Candidate which Fr. Alia was declared the winner.

The Court said so after evaluating evidence submitted by Professor Terhemba Shija which among many is the Appeal panel report that sat in after the Primaries to hear issues of concern from Aspirants in Makurdi and made recommendations that the primary election was not valid.

However, the Court agreed with APC on the rerun of 9th June 2022 which took part in twelve local governments of the States saying it was very valid and still stands.

” Yes, I have seen that APC did not conduct a valid primary election on the 27th of May 2022 reasons why the appeal panel ordered a fresh election that was conducted on the 9th of June 2022 in some Local Government. In the interest of justice, I cannot allow those voters in the remaining Eleven Local Governments to be disenfranchised, therefore, APC should go back and conduct elections in eleven local Government areas within 114 days and INEC should recognize the winner after adding both election results as the Gubernatorial candidate of the Party”

The local Government where a Primary Election is ordered by the Court are, Gboko, Gwer- East, Gwer-west Guma, Katsina, Logo Makurdi, Otukpo, Ukum, Tarka, and Vandeikya local Government Area.

The Local Government that rerun was held on the 9th of June 2022 are, Buruku, Kwande, Agatu, Konshisha, Ogbadibo, Ushongo, Oju Okpokwu, Ado, Ohimini Obi and Apa local Government.

The court ordered that the results of the 9th June 2022 and the one to be conducted fresh should be added and the winner with the highest number of votes should be declared the winner.

Meanwhile, the court had earlier in its judgment dismissed Prof. Shija Interlocutory Appeal against the Fr. Alia. The interlocutory appeal was against the ruling of the Federal High Court which refused the application of Prof Shija to bring in more facts and introduce more Fresh issues into his Case.

In a similar vein, the court dismissed Senator Barnabas Gemade Appeal and upheld the judgment of the Federal High Court which dismissed his suit against Fr Alia for Being Statute Barred.

The Appeal of the PDP against APC House of Assembly Candidates and House of Representatives Candidates was also dismissed. The court held that PDP has no locus standi whatsoever to meddle in APC or another political party’s affairs.