The Supreme Court unequivocally rejected the appeal lodged by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Titus Uba, in the Benue governorship election case.
Prior to this, both the governorship election petition tribunal and the court of appeal in Abuja had already upheld Hyacinth Alia’s victory as the governor of Benue state.
In response to the unfavorable judgments, Uba sought recourse at the apex court. The election results, determining Alia of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the triumphant candidate in the March 2023 governorship election, had been ratified by both the tribunal and the appellate court.
A noteworthy detail is that Alia, in addition to his political role, is a Catholic priest. His victory was further solidified when the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) presented him with a certificate of return.
According to the INEC Returning Officer, Prof. Faruk Kuta, Alia secured a substantial 473,933 votes, surpassing his closest contender, Titus Uba of the Peoples Democratic Party, who garnered 223,914 votes.
The affirmation of these results by the highest court concludes a chapter in the electoral dispute, solidifying Hyacinth Alia’s status as the duly elected governor of Benue state.
