Appeal Court Affirms Hyacinth Alia’s Election as Benue State Governor, Dismissing PDP’s Challenge
Appeal Court Affirms Hyacinth…..
In a decisive ruling, the Court of Appeal in Abuja has upheld the election of Hyacinth Alia as the Governor of Benue State, dismissing the appeal brought forth by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Titus Uba. The judgment reaffirms the validity of Alia’s victory in the March 18 governorship election and dismisses allegations raised by the PDP.
The appeal, which aimed to overturn the Governorship Election Petition Tribunal’s judgment from September 23, encountered a unanimous decision by a three-judge panel of the Court of Appeal. The tribunal had previously validated Hyacinth Alia’s victory, and this affirmation underscores the court’s commitment to upholding the integrity of the electoral process.
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One of the key issues raised in the appeal was the submission of Hyacinth Alia’s name by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) within the stipulated 180 days before the March 18 election. Titus Uba argued that the APC failed to meet this requirement, thereby casting doubt on the legitimacy of Alia’s candidacy.
However, the Court of Appeal rejected this argument, citing that the primary election that produced Alia was ordered by a high court and conducted within the specified period mandated by the court. The court held that the allegation of non-compliance with the submission timeline could not stand in light of the judicial order guiding the conduct of the primary election.
The unanimous decision emphasized that the issues raised in the petition pertained to pre-election matters and underscored the PDP and Uba’s failure to provide compelling evidence substantiating their claims of forgery against Samuel Ode, the APC’s deputy governorship candidate.
With the dismissal of the appeal, Governor Hyacinth Alia’s mandate is further solidified, marking a significant legal victory for the APC in Benue State. The judgment reinforces the importance of adherence to legal processes and timelines in election-related matters, ensuring the credibility and legitimacy of electoral outcomes.
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