By Ken Chiwendu
The Court of Appeal in Makurdi has ordered the All Progressives Congress, APC, to conduct a fresh gubernatorial primary election in 11 out of the 23 local government areas of Benue State.
The local governments areas are, Gboko, Gwer- East, Gwer-West, Guma, Katsina-Ala, Logo, Makurdi, Otukpo, Ukum, Tarka and Vandeikya.
The court also directed that APC conduct the primaries within 14 days within which the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC would recognize the winner after collation of election results from the 12 local government areas.
The judgement followed an appeal filed by Professor Terhembe Shija,one of the aspirants on the platform of the APC, arguing that there was no valid primary election held on 27th May 2022 by APC for the nomination of its gubernatorial candidate to warrant the emergence of Fr Alia as the winner.
The court, while agreeing with Professor Shija,’s submissions, however validated the rerun of 9th June 2022, which took part in 12 local governments of the states.
Meanwhile, the court dismissed Senator Barnabas Gemade’s appeal and upheld the judgement of the Federal High Court, which dismissed his suit against Fr Alia for being statute-barred.
