Supreme Court Upholds Alia’s Election As Benue Governor

Rev Fr Hyacinth Alia

The Supreme Court has upheld the election of Rev Fr Hyacinth Alia as the Governor of Benue State. 

This is even as the court dismissed the appeal filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Titus Uba at the March 18, 2023 governorship election, 

Justice John Okoro, who led the five-member of the panel of justices delivered the judgment on Monday.

Okoro said that issues raised in the appeal did not qualify as post-election matters.

“This appeal having been withdrawn is hereby dismissed,” Okoro added.

Governor Alia, his deputy, Sam Ode and state officials were at the Supreme Court to witness the Monday’s proceedings.

The governorship election petition tribunal and the Court of Appeal in Abuja had affirmed the election of Alia, who contested under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Dissatisfied with the verdicts, Uba approached the apex court for redress.

At the proceedings, the counsel for the applicant, Sebastian Hon, SAN, urged the court to allow the appeal, saying that Samuel Ode, was not sponsored by the APC.

He said, “I urge this court to allow the appeal.  This appeal has to do with non-sponsorship. The deputy governor’s name was not submitted to INEC. Their witnesses admitted to it. Section 177(c) has not been complied with. His sponsorship not by the law is no sponsorship.”

Recall that the INEC Returning Officer, Prof. Faruk Kuta said that Alia polled 473,933 votes to defeat his closest rival, Uba, who scored 223,914 votes. 

In accordance with the law, the INEC had since issued a Certificate of Return to Alia, who is also a Catholic priest.