Akume, 16 others appeal tribunal’s ruling in Benue
Seventeen defeated candidates at the National Assembly and State House of Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal in Benue state have appealed the judgement of the tribunal at the Court of Appeal, Makurdi.
Secretary of the tribunal, Mrs. Debra Musa, who disclosed this in Makurdi on Tuesday, stated that each candidate by law has 21 days from the day of the tribunal’s judgement to file an appeal.
According to the tribunal secretary, those who have appealed against the ruling of the tribunal have had their records transmitted to the Appeal Court including the petition filed by George Akume of the All Progressives Congress (APC) challenging the election of Senator Oker Jev of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) representing Benue North West.
Others are Mrs. Mimi Orubibi Adzape of the APC challenging the election of Senator Gabriel Suswam of the PDP representing Benue North East with Chief Steve Lawani of the APC challenging the election of Senator Abba Moro of the PDP representing Benue South Senatorial District.
She said the case filed by David Agada of the APC challenging the election of Samson Ukwu of the PDP for Oju/Obi Federal Constituency before the Appeal Court has already been disposed of in favour of the PDP candidate, while Terhile Utaan of the APC is up against Benjamin Mzondo of the PDP for the Makurdi/Guma Federal Constituency.
The tribunal secretary further disclosed that, the appeal filed by Mr. Terfa Ityav of the APC against Mr. Kpam Sokpo of the PDP for Buruku federal constituency; Solomon Wombo of APC against Richard Gbande of the PDP for Sankara federal constituency; Adamu Entonu of the APC against Goddy Adagboyi of the Labour Party all have been transmitted to the appeal court.
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Other cases are those of Livinus Ujamatyu of the APC challenging the election of the Speaker of the Benue state House of Assembly, Titus Uba of the PDP for the Kyan State Constituency, with Musa Alechenu of the APC challenging the victory of Chris Adaji of the PDP and Peter Igbawase of the APC challenging the election of James Ortyom of the PDP for the Guma State Constituency.
The tribunal secretary further disclosed that John Ali of the APC has also filed a case against the victory of Peter Enemali of the PDP for the Ogbadibo State Constituency with Chris Aondo of the APC filing against Kulanen Yagba of the PDP for Logo while Matthew Damkor of the APC is challenging the election of Terkaa Ucha of the PDP for Tiev Constituency respectively.
Daily Times checks revealed that the APC governorship candidate in Benue state, Emmanuel Jime, who lost to the PDP’s Governor Samuel Ortom both at the poll and at the tribunal, has indicated his interest to appeal against the tribunal’s decision at the Appeal Court to reclaim what he referred to as “a stolen mandate.”
With the disposition of all the cases at the election petitions tribunal, the PDP is occupying the post of governor, three Senate seats, nine House of Representatives seats, followed by Labour Party with two House of Representatives seats while the APC has none with majority of the seats being occupied by the PDP in the state House of Assembly.
