The Supreme Court on Tuesday in Abuja affirmed the election of Samuel Ortom as the duly elected governor of Benue.
The court in affirming his election dismissed the appeal filed by the appellants, Emmanuel Jime and the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The court in unanimous judgment delivered by Justice Silvester Ngwuta, held that the appellants failed to prove allegations made against the victory of Orton at the governorship election in Benue.
Ngwuta said that the petitioner’s appeal was dismissed for lacking in merit.
Jime had approached the Supreme Court to upturn the concurrent decisions of the tribunal and Court of Appeal.
The concurrent decision of the lower courts upheld the election of Ortom as duly elected Governor of Benue.
Jime’s appeal is anchored on alleged malpractices, over voting and non compliance with the electoral laws during the conduct of the Benue governorship poll.
Similarly, the Supreme Court affirmed the victory of Ahmadu Fintiri as the duly elected governor of Adamawa.
The court in a unanimous judgment delivered by Justice Mohammed Dattijo dismissed former governor Jibrilla Bindo’s appeal seeking the sack of Fintiri as Governor of Adamawa.
Sen. Bindo, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the March 9 governorship election, challenged the emergence of Fintiri as winner of the poll.
Bindo asked the Supreme Court to set aside the concurrent decisions of the tribunal and the Court of Appeal which had dismissed his petition against the election of Fintiri for lacking in merit.
He predicated his appeal on alleged over-voting in 385 polling units, claiming that if the alleged illegal votes were deducted he would have majority of the lawful votes cast at the election to defeat the incumbent.
The court, however, said that the appellants could not establish his case of over voting.
“The number of votes cast must be more than accredited voters to show that there was over voting.
“The onus is on the petitioner to show that over voting was in favour of the respondent,” Dattijo said.
The seven member panel of justices of the Supreme Court concurred with both judgments.
PDP scribe says Ortom’s victory affirms Judiciary still intact
The Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Benue, Mr John Ngbede, says the victory of Gov. Samuel Ortom at the Supreme Court has affirmed that the judiciary is still “intact”.
Ngbede, who was reacting to the governor’s victory in a telephone interview with the News Agency of Nigeria, on Tuesday in Makurdi, said the judiciary had again demonstrated that it still remained untainted.
He expressed gratitude to God for granting the governor victory both at the polls and in the courts.
The chairman therefore, appealed to the defeated candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, Mr Emmanuel Jime, and his party to join hands with the governor in moving the state forward.
He said the victory was not only for the PDP, but for the whole state.
Also reacting to the verdict, a chieftain of PDP in the state, Mr Joseph Boko, congratulated Ortom for the victory and appealed to Jime and his party to join the governor in moving the state forward while waiting for another opportunity.
There was jubilation by PDP supporters at the Benue People’s House while prayers coordinated by the chaplain, Government House, were ongoing.
Vehicles carrying large outdoor speakers were seen driving round streets of Makurdi celebrating the victory.
Meanwhile, efforts to get reactions from the APC Publicity Secretary, Mr James Orguga and the chairman, Mr Abba Yaro failed as their phones were switched off.
A cross section of the people who spoke with NAN said they were grateful to God for granting the governor victory at the apex court.
They said it was better for him to continue than having to restart the whole machinery of government with a new set of administrators.
Supreme Court verdict: Mark congratulates Ortom
Former President of the Senate, David Mark, has congratulated Gov. Samuel Ortom, on the validation of his election victory by the Supreme Court in Abuja, on Tuesday.
Mark, in a statement signed by his Media aide, Paul Mumeh, noted that the affirmation of Ortom’s victory was a validation of the mandate given to him by the people of Benue.
“The validation of your mandate by the Supreme Court is an affirmation of the trust reposed in you by the people of Benue State to serve them for their development, welfare and security,” he stated.
The former senate president, however, said the trust must not be taken for granted.
Mark urged the governor to be magnanimous in victory by extending the hand of fellowship to his major opponent, Mr Emmanuel Jime, of the All Progressives Congress (APC), in the task of working for the good of Benue people.
He urged Ortom to be a father to all irrespective of party affiliation adding; “your good works, security, peace and unity of the state would be the needed legacies.”
The former senator also reminded Jime that the battle for the plum position of governor of the state had been fought and won, and implored him to join hands with Ortom to develop the state.
“I have always maintained that everybody cannot be governor at the same time because there is only one seat.
“But whichever side of the coin one finds himself, he must remember that the interest, welfare and security of Benue and Nigerian people must be paramount,” Mark said.
Mark has also sent congratulatory messages to the governors of Sokoto Bauchi, Taraba, Delta and Oyo, Aminu Tambuwal, Bala Mohammed, Darius Ishaku, Ifeanyi Okowa and Seyi Makinde, over their victories at the apex court.
The elder statesman reminded them of the need to make a difference in the lives of their citizens by working assiduously for the development of their states.
“You must continue to do only those things that will bring peace, unity and progress to the nation,” Mark charged them.
Tsav, Chieshe congratulate Ortom on Supreme Court victory
A former Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Abubakar Tsav, has congratulated Gov Samuel Ortom of Benue over his Tuesday victory at the Supreme Court.
Tsav said this in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria in Makurdi on Tuesday.
The Supreme Court had earlier affirmed the re-election of Ortom as Benue Governor and dismissed the petitions of both the APC and its governorship candidate for lack of merit.
Tsav said that the affirmation of the governor’s election was “Gods will” and there was nothing anyone could do about it.
“The confirmation of Gov Ortom’s election by the Supreme Court is how God wants it and there is nothing anyone can do about it,” he said.
He further appealed to the governor to use the remaining three years of his term to make amends and provide dividends of democracy to the Benue people.
“He should try to leave some legacy by embarking on people-oriented projects, repair our bad roads in the state and the construction of new ones to link our towns and villages.
He further urged the governor to redouble his efforts in the provision of good governance to the Benue people and forgo side attraction.
Tsav also commended the APC candidate, Mr Emmanuel Jime, and his team for giving Samuel Ortom a good fight in his quest to upturn Ortom’s victory.
Also, a PDP chieftain, Mr Peter Chieshe, described the governor’s victory as a victory for the Benue people.
“The people who trooped out in their thousands and gave you their mandate to govern them, to take away their poverty, to help them develop their state and lessen the burden of hardship on them.
“Now, the battle shifts to the reason you ran for office of governor; to make life better for the people. Here too, God will help you succeed that glory may come to His Name.
“For you have trust in him, and He has honored your faith in Him,” he said.
The situation in the state capital, Makurdi remains normal despite the affirmation of the governor’s election at the Supreme Court.