Appeal Court orders APC to conduct fresh governorship primary in 11 Benue LGAs

The Court of Appeal, Makurdi, on Monday, ordered the All Progressive Congress (APC) to conduct a fresh governorship primary in 11 local government areas of Benue State.

The appellate court delivered the verdict in an appeal filed by one of the governorship aspirants in the state, Prof. Terhemba Shija.

Shija had in the appeal urged the court to set aside the victory of Rev. Fr Hyacinth Alia in the May 27, 2022 governorship primary in the state over alleged irregularities in the exercise.

In a unanimous judgement, a three-member panel of the appeal court led by Justice Mohammed Danjuma, declared as invalid the primary election that produced Alia as APC governorship candidate in the state.

Other members of the panel are Justice Abraham Biobelle and Justice Ibrahim Jauro.

READ ASLO: APC will take over Benue in 2023 – Akume

Danjuma, who read the judgment, said the court agreed with Shija’s claim that there was no valid APC governorship primary in the state on May 27 last year.

He, however, held that the rerun election held in 12 LGAs on June 9, 2022, was valid and would still stand.

The judge said: “Yes, I have seen that the APC did not conduct a valid primary on May 27, 2022, for reasons the appeal panel ordered a fresh election that was conducted on June 9, 2022, in some local government areas.

“In the interest of justice, the court cannot allow those voters in the remaining 11 local government areas to be disenfranchised.

“ Therefore, the APC should go back and conduct an election in the 11 LGAs within 14 days and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) should recognise the winner after adding both earlier primary results.”

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