The Court of Appeal in Abuja has affirmed Hyacinth Alia as the duly elected governor of Benue State.
The decision was reached on Monday in response to an appeal filed by Titus Uba, the Peoples Democratic Party candidate in the March 18 governorship election, seeking to overturn the tribunal’s judgment validating Alia’s victory.
At the tribunal, Uba among other things alleged that Alia’s deputy, Samuel Ode, presented a forged certificate to the Independent National Electoral Commission contrary to Section 182(1)(j) of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended).
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He also claimed that Alia’s name was submitted less than 180 days before the election date, and Ode was also not submitted to INEC after the party conducted a further re-run primary election.
The tribunal, led by Justice Ibrahim Karaye, dismissed Uba’s petition, citing that it was a pre-election matter and statute-barred.
In its ruling on Monday, the Court of Appeal’s three-member panel, headed by Justice Onyekachi Aja Otisi, emphasized that Uba failed to substantiate the allegations of forgery against Ode beyond a reasonable doubt.
Ruling on the appeal on Monday, the appeal court’s three-member panel led by Justice Onyekachi Aja Otisi held that the Uba failed to prove beyond reasonable doubt the allegations of forgery against Ode.
Details later…