Supreme Court has dismissed an appeal filed by the People’s Democratic Party PDP against the election of Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue State.
The apex court decision followed the withdrawal of an appeal by counsel for Titus Uba of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Sebastian Hon. Uba had challenged the victory of Alia of the All-Progressives Congress (APC)in the March 18, 2023, election.
The PDP candidate had approached the Election Petitions Tribunal and the Court of Appeal, Abuja to upturn Alia’s victory but both courts dismissed his appeal on grounds that it lacked the jurisdiction to hear the petition because it was a pre-election matter.
The court held that Uba should have prosecuted the forgery allegation against the deputy governor, Sam Ode, at the high court. It also held that Uba failed to prove allegations of forgery against Ode beyond a reasonable doubt.
The priest turned politician Alia who is a first-time governorship contestant wrested power from PDP in Benue. Alia succeeded Samuel Ortom of the PDP who was governor of the state for eight years.
