BREAKING: Jubilation Erupts as Tribunal Gives Verdict on Benue Governorship Election Tussles

• Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue State, the APC and their supporters have been thrown into jubilation over the judgment of the governorship election petition tribunal sitting in Makurdi
• The tribunal dismissed the petitions filed by the PDP and its candidate, Titus Uba and upheld the victory of Governor Alia in the March 18 governorship election
• According to the tribunal, the PDP and Uba should have pursued their case beyond the federal high court to the court of appeal rather than bringing it to the tribunal

Makurdi, Benue - The Benue State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Makurdi has dismissed the petitions of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate in the March 18 governorship election, Titus Uba.

Subsequently, the court ruled that Governor Hyacinth Alia of the All Progressives Congress (APC) remained the authentic election winner, Channels reported.

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The court dismissed Uba and the PDP's petitions over its lack of jurisdiction to entertain the matter.

Justice Ibrahim Karaye-led three-person panel of justices maintained that the court did not have the jurisdiction to hear the issues raised by the petitioners before the tribunal, adding that they were pre-election matters, spelt out in section 285 of the Electoral Act.

Why tribunal dismisses PDP's petition against Governor Alia in Benue State

According to the court, the PDP and Uba should have pursued their case beyond the Federal High Court that dismissed the suits they filed to the Court of Appeal rather than bringing it before the tribunal.

Before the federal high court, the PDP and Uba had argued that Alia was not qualified to be nominated by the APC and alleged that Alia's deputy, Sam Ode, had a forged certificate and had presented false information to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

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Jubilation as tribunal upholds Mutfwang's election as Plateau gov

Alia, a Catholic priest, garnered 473,933 votes to defeat Uba of the PDP 223,913 and was subsequently declared the winner of the March 19 governorship election in the state.

Tribunal affirms Mutfwang as Plateau gov, dismisses Nentawe’s petition

Legit.ng earlier reported that the Plateau State governorship election petition tribunal in Jos has dismissed the petitions of the APC and its candidate, Nentawe Goshwe, against Governor Caleb Mutfwang

The tribunal affirmed Mutfwang's victory in the March 18 governorship election in the state

In its ruling, the court held that the petition by the APC and its candidate lacked merit

Source: Legit.ng