From: Denen Achussah
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Benue State says it will “exhaustively pursue” available legal options “to recover the Governorship of the state which it believes rightly belongs to the party.” The next option in the legal tussle is appeal before the Supreme Court.
This is contained in a statement released on Tuesday, 21st November, 2023, by Bemgba Iortyom, State Publicity Secretary of the party in the state. His statement follows the decision of the Court of Appeal, sitting at Abuja, which dismissed the appeal by the 2023 PDP Governorship candidate, Titus Tyoapine Uba.
Uba and the PDP entered the appeal following judgment of the Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal at Makurdi that upheld the election of All Progressives Congress’ (APC’s) Hyacinth Alia and Sam Ode as Governor and Deputy Governor of Benue State.
Part of the statement reads: “It remains the contention of the party that, 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.
“Our great 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.
“PDP 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.”
After the judgment yesterday, Deputy Governor Sam Ode, reiterated the call for the PDP to accept the judgment as a validation of the wishes and votes of the people of the state.
