Hyacinth Alia, the Benue State Governor and the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the March 18 governorship election, has welcomed the judgment of the Court of Appeal, which upheld his victory as duly elected governor.
Kula Tersoo, the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, during a press conference held in Makurdi, the state capital, on Monday, described the victory at the appellate court as a victory for the people of the state while urging the opposition Peoples Democratic Party in the state to join hands with his administration for the betterment of the people.
He said, “The victory at the appeal court today was a victory for the Benue people. My appeal to the opponent is that they should return to join hands with me to build a new Benue.”
While acknowledging that the opposition party has the constitutional right to pursue its case in court, the governor urged the party to work with him to restore the glory of the state.
The Informant247 had earlier reported that the Appeal Court sitting in Abuja on Monday affirmed the election of Governor Hyacinth Alia of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as duly elected governor of Benue State.
A three-man panel of justices, in a unanimous decision, dismissed as lacking in merit an appeal the PDP candidate, Mr Mrtus Uba, filed to challenge the outcome of the gubernatorial election held in the state on March 18, adding that it found no reason to set aside the judgment of the Benue State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, which had, on September 23, validated the election victory of Alia as governor.
It held that some of the grounds the PDP candidate raised in his appeal not only bordered on pre-election issues but also had elements of crime.
According to the appellate court, the appellants (Uba and the PDP) had raised the issue of forgery against the Deputy Governor of the state, Mr. Samuel Ode.
It held that since such an allegation was criminal, it should be proved beyond reasonable doubt.
The appellate court held that the appellants failed to discharge the burden of proof that was placed on them by the law.