Benue: Court Nullifies APC Guber Primaries In Eleven LGAs, Orders Fresh Election

The court of Appeal sitting in Makurdi has  nullified the All Progressives Congress (APC) guber primary election in eleven Local Government of Benue State, ordering a fresh election for the nomination of itsgovernorship candidate ahead of the 2023 general elections.

Delivery judgement in the appeal filed by one of the sspirants on the platform of the APC, the court agreed with Prof. Terhemba Shija in his assertion that there was no valid primary election held by the party for the nomination of its Gubernatorial Candidate in which Fr. Hycinth Alia was declared winner.

The court said after evaluating evidence submitted by Professor Shija among many, the appeal panel report that sat in after the Primaries to hear issues of concern from the aspirants made recommendations that the primary election was not valid.

However, the court agreed with APC on the rerun of the June 9, 2022, primaries which took part in twelve local Government 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 the 27th of May 2022.

"It is the reason why the appeal panel ordered a fresh election that was conducted on the 9th of June 2022 in some Local Government.

"In the interest of justice, I can not allow those voters in the remaining eleven local governments to be disenfranchised.

"Therefore, APC should go back and conduct elections in eleven local governments within 14 days and INEC should recognise the winner after adding both election results as the Gubernatorial candidate of the party."

The local governments are Gboko, Gwer-East, Gwer-west Guma, Katsina, Logo Makurdi, Otukpo, Ukum,Tarka and Vandeikya local Government Area.