November 21, (THEWILL) – Despite the upholding of the election victory of Governor Hyacinth Alia by the Appeal Court, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Benue State, reiterates its resolve to exhaustively pursue the legal option, to recover the Governorship of the state from the All Progressives Congress.
According to the PDP, it believes that the 2023 governorship seat in Benue rightly belongs to the party.
PDP restates its position following the judgement of the Court of Appeal on Monday in Abuja, which dismissed the appeal by the party’s Governorship Candidate, Engr. Titus Tyoapine Uba, against the earlier judgement of the Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal, which upheld the victory of Hyacinth Alia as Governor of the state.
A statement signed by the State Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Chief Bemgba Iortyom, in Makurdi on Tuesday, says it remains the intention of the party in line with extant electoral laws, regulations and guidelines, the Governorship of the state at the last election was won by Engr. Uba, as canvassed by his legal team at the Tribunal and at the just decided Appeal.
“The party’s leadership will consult with the legal team, on the best possible approach to the next step on the litigation process, and urges its teeming members and supporters to maintain the faith that justice will surely be done to the petition by Engr. Titus Uba.”
The statement added that, the party maintains belief in the Judiciary as the last resort for citizens, where impunity and manipulation are deployed by a party to a contest, such as was the case in the 2023 Benue Governorship Election.
The PDP, according to Chief Iortyom, believes democracy is best served and the sanctity of the votes of the electorate, better preserved by the pursuit of the legal option, where there occurs violation of the electoral process as was done by APC at the 2023 Governorship Election.
It will be recalled that, the three man panel of Justices at Appeal Court Abuja Division yesterday, dismissed the case filed by the PDP and it candidate, Titus Tyoapine Uba, seeking declaration that both Alia and his deputy, Dr Sam Odeh were not qualified to contest in the last election.
The Appeal Court in a unanimous judgement, held that Uba and PDP failed to prove allegations of forgery, against Dr Odeh, while others were pre-election issues which was status bar.
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