Court of Appeal Upholds Governor Alia’s Victory in Benue State

The Court of Appeal in Abuja, on Monday, upheld the election victory of Hyacinth Alia as the governor of Benue State. Titus Uba, the Peoples Democratic Party candidate in the March 18 governorship election, had challenged the tribunal’s judgment that validated Alia’s election. Uba’s claims included an allegation that Alia’s deputy, Samuel Ode, presented a forged certificate to the Independent National Electoral Commission, violating Section 182(1)(j) of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended). The appeal court’s three-member panel, led by Justice Onyekachi Aja Otisi, ruled that Uba failed to provide sufficient evidence for the forgery allegations against Ode.