The Supreme Court has dismissed an appeal against the election of Rev. Fr. Hycinth Alia as Governor of Benue State.
The apex court also affirmed the election of the priest-turned-politician.
The apex court decision followed the withdrawal of an appeal by counsel for Hon. Titus Uba of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr. Sebastian Hon.
Uba had challenged the victory of Alia of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
However, the Election Petitions Tribunal and the Court of Appeal, Abuja, affirmed Alia’s election as Benue governor, following his declaration by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as the winner of the 18th March governorship election.
The Court of Appeal had said 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, Mr. Sam Ode, at the high court.
It also held that Uba failed to prove allegations of forgery against Ode beyond a reasonable doubt.
On Monday, the PDP candidate pursued the matter to the Supreme Court, and the apex court dismissed his appeal and affirmed Alia’s election.
Alia, a first-time governorship contestant, had wrested power from PDP. He succeeded Samuel Ortom of the PDP who was governor of the state for eight years.
The Supreme Court also reserved judgement in the Ebonyi State governorship election appeal to a date that will be communicated to parties.
Justice John Okoro reserved the judgement after parties adopted their briefs of argument on Monday.
The Court of Appeal Lagos, had earlier affirmed the election of Francis Nwifuru as the duly elected governor of the state.
In a unanimous decision, the three-member panel, led Justice Jummai Sankey, dismissed the appeal filed by Chukwuma Odii of the Peoples Democratic Party.
The panel also resolved all the five issues raised against the appellant and dismissed the appeal for lacking in merit.
Justice Sankey held that the PDP and its candidate lacked the legal right to meddle in the internal affairs of the APC as it relates to the nomination of candidates.
