Benue Governor’s Election and Reserves Decision on Ebonyi

Benue Governor’s Election and Reserves Decision on Ebonyi

The Supreme Court has decided the election of the Governor of Benue State, Hyacinth Alia. They said that he won the election and will continue to be the governor. But they have not yet decided the election in Ebonyi State.

Benue Governor’s Election

Hyacinth Alia, who was the candidate for the All Progressives Congress (APC), won the election on March 18, 2023. He defeated Titus Uba, who was the candidate for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Titus Uba, who used to be the speaker of the Benue State House Assembly, accused the electoral commission, INEC, and Hyacinth Alia of cheating during the election. He tried to get the election nullified, but he lost his cases at the Benue State Election Petition Tribunal and the Court of Appeal.

Titus Uba then went to the Supreme Court to try to invalidate the election. But the Supreme Court said that the issues he raised were not about what happened after the election, so they could not consider them.

One of the things Titus Uba challenged was Hyacinth Alia’s candidacy. Hyacinth Alia used to be a Roman Catholic priest, but he left the church to run for governor with the APC.

The Supreme Court asked the lawyer for the PDP and Titus Uba to withdraw their appeal, and they did. So the Supreme Court dismissed the appeal and confirmed Hyacinth Alia as the governor.

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Background

Before the Supreme Court made its decision, other courts looked at the case. The election petition tribunal was the first court to hear the case. They said that they could not decide on the issues that Titus Uba raised because they were about things that happened before the election. Titus Uba did not agree with this decision, so he appealed to the Court of Appeal.

The Court of Appeal looked at all the issues and decided in favor of Hyacinth Alia. They said that he and his deputy, Sam Ode, were qualified to run in the election. They also said that the allegation of forgery against Sam Ode was not proven.

Ebonyi Governorship Suit

On the same day, the Supreme Court also heard a case about the election in Ebonyi State. The PDP and their candidate, Chukwuma Ifeanyi, appealed the decision that said Governor Francis Nwifuru won the election. The Supreme Court has not yet decided on this case.

The Court of Appeal in Lagos had already upheld Governor Francis Nwifuru’s election. They said that the appeal from the PDP was not valid.