PDP, governorship candidate appeal Benue tribunal’s verdict

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Benue and its governorship candidate, Mr. Titus Uba, have appealed the verdict of the state governorship election petition tribunal in the state.

The three-member panel led by Justice Ibrahim Karaye on September 24 upheld Governor Hyacinth Alia’s victory in the March 18 election in the state.

Justice Karaye, who read the judgement, held that issues raised by the petitioners were pre-election matters that ought to have been entertained by the Federal High Court and not by the election petitions panel.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, the PDP Publicity Secretary in Benue, Mr. Bemgba Iortyom, said the party appealed the verdict on 16 grounds.

READ ALSO: Tribunal upholds election of Alia as Benue governor

He said the tribunal failed to properly resolve the controversy on its jurisdiction to entertain the petition.

The spokesman said: “Our party and candidate fault the tribunal’s decision that the petition was a pre-election matter in spite of unambiguous statutory provisions and pronouncements of higher courts on the matter to the contrary.

“The party is confident that the petition was established before the tribunal as the documentary depositions made by Alia’s running mate, Mr Samuel Ode, were forged.

“Ode was not a candidate as his name was not submitted to INEC alongside that of Alia for the election as expressly required by law.”

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