Benue Assembly Seat: Aspirant Sues INEC, LP, Others

An aspirant who contested on the platform of Labour Party (LP) for a seat in the Benue State House of Assembly, Sesugh Solomon Semaka, has asked a Federal High Court sitting in Makurdi, the state capital, to declare him the authentic candidate of the party for 2023 elections.

The plaintiff in the suit is asking the court to make an order directing the the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to issue a Certificate of Return to him in the event that the State House of Assembly Elections scheduled for the 2023 General Election in his Constituency on April 11, 2023 holds before the determination of his suit

Joined as defendants in the suit are Irtwange Terzurum David, Labour Party, Shirsha Adi and INEC.

In the suit, the plaintiff prayed the court for the following reliefs: “A declaration that the 1st Respondent having not contested in a valid primary election was not validly nominated as Candidate of the 2nd Respondent to contest the forth coming House of Assembly Election in Tiev State Constituency or Vandeikya State Constituency 1 scheduled for the 2023 General Election in the Applicants Constituency on 11th April, 2023.

“A Declaration that the Applicant who was the validly nominated candidate is the person whose name ought to have been forwarded to the 4th Respondent as the 2nd Respondent’s candidate to contest the forthcoming, 2023 House of Assembly Election in Tiev State Constituency or Vandeikya State Constituency 1 scheduled for the 2023 General Election in the Applicants Constituency on 11th April, 2023.

“An order directing the Respondents to recognize and deem the Applicant as the candidate of the 2nd Respondent to contest the forth coming 2023 House of Assembly Election in Tiev State Constituency or Vandeikya State Constituency 1 scheduled for the 2023 General Election in the Applicants Constituency on 11th April, 2023.

“An order restraining the 4th Respondent from issuing a Certificate of Ret urn to the 1st Respondent in the event that the State Assembly Election scheduled for the 2023 General Election in the Applicants Constituency on 11th April, 2023 is held and the 2nd Respondent wins in Tiev State Constituency or Vandeikya State Constituency 1, before the determination of this Suit.

“An order directing the 4th Respondent to issue a Certificate of Return to the Applicant in the event that the State House of Assembly Elections scheduled for the 2023 General Election in the Applicants Constituency on 11th April, 2023 holds before the determination of this suit and the 2nd Defendant.”