September 10, (THEWILL) – The National Assembly Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Makurdi, on Sunday, dismissed the petition filed by the defeated senatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for Benue South, Comrade Daniel Onje, challenging the victory of Senator Abba Moro of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Justice Ory Zik-Ikeoeha, who delivered the judgement on behalf of two other Justices, held that the petitioner had failed to prove allegations of irregularities he listed in his prayers.
According to her, Onje also failed to prove allegations of non-qualification of Moro to contest the senatorial election, saying Moro had won by majority valid votes cast at the polls.
The State Legal Adviser of the PDP, Clement Mue, described the judgement as sound, noting that Senator Moro had won at the polls and was confirmed by the tribunal.
However, the lead counsel for Comrade Onje, Adetunji Osho, rejected the decision of the tribunal, saying he would sit with his client to review it so as to know the next line of action.
On his part, Comrade Onje, who also rejected the tribunal’s decision, said he has been fighting for the past twelve years to represent Benue South District in the Senate without success.
According to him, he had won two cases at the tribunal and lost at the Appeal Court, and was hoping to win today but to no avail. He expressed readiness to head to the Appeal Court to seek justice, which could not be served at the tribunal.
