The Court of Appeal sitting in Makurdi has ordered the All Progressives Congress (APC) to conduct a fresh primary in eleven out of the 23 of Benue State within 14 days for the nomination of its gubernatorial candidate ahead of the 2023 general elections.
Delivering judgement in the appeal filed by one of the aspirants on the platform of the APC, justice Gabriel Abraham Georgewill agreed with Prof. Terhemba Shija in his assertion that there was no valid primary election held on 27th May, 2022 by the APC for the nomination of its gubernatorial candidate which Fr. Alia was declared winner.
The court said, “so after evaluating evidence submitted by Shija which among many is the Appeal panel report that sat after the primaries to hear issues of concern from the aspirants in Makurdi and made recommendations that the primary election was not valid.”
However, the court agreed with APC on the rerun of 9th June, 2022 which took part in 12 local governments of the states, saying it was very valid and still stands.
“Yes, I have seen that APC did not conduct a valid primary election on 27th May, 2022 reasons why the appeal panel ordered a fresh election that was conducted on 9th June, 2022 in some local governments
“In the interest of justice, I cannot allow those voters in the remaining 11 local government to be disenfranchised, therefore, APC should go back and conduct elections in eleven local government within 14 days and INEC should recognise the winner after adding both election results as the gubernatorial candidate of the party,” Georgewill stated.
LEADERSHIP gathered that the local government where the court ordered for the conduct of fresh primary election, includes Gboko, Gwer- East, Gwer-west Guma, Katsina-Ala, Logo, Makurdi, Otukpo, Ukum,Tarka and Vandeikya.
The councils that rerun was held on the 9th of June 2022 are, Buruku, Kwande, Agatu, Konshisha, Ogbadibo, Ushongo, Oju Okpokwu, Ado, Ohimini Obi and Apa local government.
The court ordered that the results of the 9th June 2022 and the one to be conducted fresh should be added and the winner with the highest number of votes should be declared winner.
Meanwhile, the court had earlier in its judgment dismissed Shija interlocutory appeal against the Fr. Alia.
The appeal was against the ruling of the federal high court which refused the application of Prof Shija to bring in more facts and introduce more Fresh issues into his case.
