Benue: Akume, Benue Dep Speaker, loses at Appeal Court

The Court of Appeal sitting in Makurdi, has sacked the Deputy Speaker of the state’s House of Assembly, Christopher Adaji, who is representing Ohimini constituency.

Also, in another pronouncement, the appellate court has also dismissed the appeal filed by the  Minister of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs, Senator George Akume, against the decision of the lower court, which upheld the return of Emmanuel Orker-Jev as Benue North-West Senator.

In the judgment delivered by Justice I.G. Mbaba, in the case of the Deputy Speaker,  the appellate court ordered that fresh election be held in two polling units in Ohimini state constituency.

The State House of Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal had ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct fresh election in the affected two polling units.

Justice Mbaba dismissed the two appeals filed by the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) and its candidate, saying: “I find no merit in this appeal.”

The judge issued an order directing INEC to conduct fresh election in the two polling units within 90 days from the day of the judgment (Friday) and awarded the cost of N200,000 only in each of the appeals against the appellants (PDP and Adaji).

On Akume, Justice O.A. Otisi agreed in his judgment that the evidence of the appellant’s witnesses does not show how the alleged non-compliance affected the outcome of the Benue North West Senatorial District election on 23rd February, 2019

The judge also agreed with the position of the counsel for Senator Jev that the non use of smart card reader machine cannot render an election invalid.

Justice Otisi dismissed the appeal for want of merit and awarded the cost of N300,000 against the appellants.

Meanwhile, the Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, has congratulated the Senator representing Benue North West Senatorial District, Emmanuel OrkerJev on his victory at the Court of Appeal.

Governor Ortom in a congratulatory message issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Terver Akase, said that the judgment of the appellate court confirmed the popular will of the people of Benue North West in the 2019 election.

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