By Amos Aar
SITTINGS for the Benue State Governorship Election Tribunal have reportedly been moved to Lafia, the capital of Nasarawa State. Lafia is 85 km (52.9 miles) from Makurdi, the Benue State capital.
National Record gathered on Thursday that the Secretary to the National and State Assembly Elections Tribunal in the state, Okidada Adejoke, who announced the transfer however did not disclose any reasons for the tribunal’s decision.
The gubernatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 general elections, Titus Uba, is challenging the victory of a Catholic Priest, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, who clinched the seat on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
National Record also found that sittings for the National and State Assembly Elections Tribunal in Makurdi have been divided into two panels. While the first panel is to commence hearing on Monday, May 8, 2023, the second panel will commence its sittings on Tuesday, May 9.
At the senatorial level, Benue State outgoing Governor Samuel Ortom of the PDP, who lost his bid for Benue North-West to his former Special Adviser, Dr Titus Zam, of the APC and petitioned him at the tribunal decided to withdraw the suit on March 28, 2023.
But Ortom’s predecessor, Gabriel Suswam, who is the current senator representing Benue North-East is still battling at the tribunal with a former 2-term House of Representatives member for Katsina-Ala/UKum/Logo federal constituency, Hon. Emmanuel Udende, who floored him in the February 25th National Assembly polls.
