Tribunal sacks Benue deputy Speaker, orders rerun

The National/State Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Makurdi on Monday sacked the deputy Speaker of the Benue State House of Assembly, Chris Adaji, as the winner of the 2019 Ohimini State Constituency election.

Consequently, the tribunal has ordered a rerun in affected areas of the exercise.

Adaji of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was dragged to the tribunal by Musa Alechenu Ohimini of All Progressives Congress (APC) on account that he did not win with the required number of votes as stated in the electoral guideline.

Delivering judgement on the matter, the Chairman of the Tribunal, Justice R. O. Odudu, ruled that the margin with which Adaji led the APC candidate was lesser than the number of votes cancelled.

Earlier, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared Adaji winner with 397 votes but the tribunal found that the margin was less than the 1,056 votes cancelled in the two polling units of Igbanomaje and Odega.

The tribunal therefore held that INEC ought not to have made final declaration without ordering for a rerun in the affected polling units, adding that the electoral body should have declared the poll inconclusive.

Justice Odudu further averred that the declaration and return of Adaji without a rerun in Odega and Ogadagba wards was invalid by reason of non-substantial compliance with Electoral Act 2010 (as amended).

The tribunal, therefore, issued an order for withdrawer of Certificate of Return issued to Adaji and directed INEC to conduct rerun election in the two polling units where elections were cancelled within 90 days.