Tension As Supreme Court Set To Rule On Benue Governorship Election

Supreme Court Rules On Benue Governorship Election

The Supreme Court is set to deliver a final verdict today (Tuesday) on the dispute arising from the March 9, 2019 governorship election in Benue State.

As at the time of filing this report, a seven-man panel of the apex court led by Justice Olabode Rhodes-Vivour had already begun hearing the case.

The apex court is set to deliver ruling in the suit filed by Emmanuel Jime, candidate of the All Progressives Congress against the victory of Samuel Ortom who contested under the umbrella of the Peoples Democratic Party.

The appellant’s counsel, Yusuf Ali while arguing his client’s case on Tuesday, urged the court to nullify Ortom’s election victory.

Ali claimed the disparity between the number of accredited voters recorded by the smart card reader machines used for the conduct of the election and the number of votes recorded had rendered the election invalid.

Arguing his clients’ appeal on Tuesday, Yusuf Ali, SAN, urged the apex court to nullify Ortom’s election.

Ali noted that the disparity between the number of accredited voters recorded by the smart card reader machines used for the conduct of the election and the number of votes recorded had rendered the election invalid.

“There must be an agreement between the number of accredited voters and the total votes,” he said.

On their part, lawyers representing the respondents to the appeal; the Independent National Electoral Commission, Governor Ortom and the Peoples Democratic Party, however urged the apex court to dismiss the appeal.

INEC is represented by Uyi Igunma,  Ortom’s lawyer is Sebastine Hon while PDP’s lawyer is Chief Chris Uche, SAN.

“The judgment will be delivered later today,” Justice Rhodes-Vivour declared as the panel rose and receded to chambers at the end of Tuesday’s hearing.

The panel has adjourned sitting but is expected to resume to deliver the final judgment on the governorship election by 2:00pm.