The Supreme Court has convened to hear the appeals of the governorship elections held in Ebonyi and Benue States, respectively, today, News About Nigeria reports.
The appeal will be headed by Justice John Okoro, who will be leading the five-man panel of justices that will be hearing the appeals of the governorship elections in the respective states.
Recall that the court of appeal in Lagos, in the case of Ebonyi State, affirmed the election of Francis Nwifuru as the duly elected governor of Ebonyi State.
The three-member panel led by Justice Jummai Sankey, in a unanimous decision, dismissed the appeal filed by Chukwuma Odii of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Justice Sankey had ruled in favour of the All Progressive Congress (APC), stating that the PDP and its candidates lacked the legal right to meddle in the internal affairs of the APC as it relates to the nomination of candidates.
Likewise, in Benue State, the Court of Appeal in Abuja affirmed Alia’s election as governor of Benue State, stating that the petition of the governorship candidate of the PDP in Benue State, Titus Uba, challenging the victory of Governor Hyacinth Alia of the APC, was out of its jurisdiction.
According to the court, the case of Titus Uba was a pre-election petition and therefore out of its jurisdiction.
However, the Supreme Court, on Monday, dismissed the appeal by the PDP and its candidate in the Benue governorship election, Titus Uba.
Alia, who is a Catholic priest, was also given a certificate of return by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
