JUST IN: Benue Governor Floors PDP At Tribunal, Appreciates Residents

The Benue State Governorship Elections Petitions Tribunal sitting in Makurdi Saturday dismissed the petition filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its governorship candidate, Titus Uba, seeking the nullification of the election of Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia, of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC) had announced Alia winner of the poll with 473,933 votes.

Uba came second with 223,913 votes.

Dissatisfied with the results declared by INEC, the PDP asked the Tribunal to nullify the election of the governor on the grounds of invalid nomination and sponsorship by his party.

But in its verdict on Saturday, the three-man panel chaired by Justice Ibrahim Karayeup held Alia’s election.

The tribunal held that issues raised by Titus Uba were pre-election matters that ought to have begun at the Federal High Court within the stipulated time frame.

Reacting to the judgment on Saturday, the governor appreciated the people of Benue state for voting for him.

He promised not to let them down.

“Governor Alia rededicates himself to the service of the people and the strengthening of democratic values across the state.

“He appreciates and recognizes the fact that his victory is that of the people to whom sovereignty and power truly belongs.

“He enjoins all and sundry including members of the opposition to put their hands on deck and ensure that the state is moved to very heights of greatness away from the current mess of misery, poverty and maladministration,” the governor said, according to a statement by his spokesperson, Tersoo Kula.