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Appeal Court affirms Alia’s election as Benue governor

Published

5 months ago

November 20, 2023

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The Court of Appeal in Abuja has dismissed an appeal brought before it by the governorship candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Titus Uba challenging the election of Hyacinth Alia as the elected governor of Benue State.

Alia, a Roman Catholic priest, won the election on the platform of the APC, defeating his closest challenger, Titus Uba of the PDP.

Uba is the immediate past Speaker of the Benue State House of Assembly.

A three-member panel of the Court of Appeal headed by Onyekachi Otisi dismissed Mr Uba’s appeal against the judgement of the Benue State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal.

In September, the tribunal held that it lacked jurisdiction to entertain pre-election issues raised by Mr Uba.

Dissatisfied with the decision, the PDP candidate appealed, seeking to overturn Mr Alia’s victory.

However, in a unanimous decision on Monday, the Court of Appeal resolved all the issues in favour of the governor, including the alleged non-qualification of Mr Alia and his deputy, Sam Ode, to vie for the 18 March election.

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Ms Otisi said the PDP governorship candidate failed to prove the allegation of forgery of INEC’s documents levelled against Mr Ode.

The Court of Appeal also held that the issues of non-qualifications were pre-election matters which can only be challenged at the Federal High Court instead of the election petition tribunal.

Unlike in the past, the Electoral Act 2022 confers exclusive jurisdiction of hearing pre-election suits on the Federal High Court.

The court further noted that a pre-election case challenging the authenticity of a candidate for election can only be instituted within 14 days.

She added that Mr Uba as a member of the PDP lacked the right to challenge the emergence of Mr Alia who was the flagbearer of the APC.

Ruling on the issue of APC’s failure to submit Mr Alia’s name to INEC within the statutory 180 days before 18 March, the appellate court said the primary election that produced the APC governorship candidate was sanctioned by the Federal High Court in Makurdi, the state capital.

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Related Topics:Appeal court Hyacinth Alia Titus Uba

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Good morning! Here Are Some Major News Headlines In The Newspapers Today: FG requires $10bn yearly, to revive power sector – Minister

Published

3 hours ago

April 30, 2024

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1. Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, has said $10 billion is needed yearly for the next ten years to revive the nation’s power sector and nip in the bud the challenges bedeviling it. The minister said this when he appeared before the Senate Committee on Power for investigative hearing over the recent electricity tariff hike by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC.

2. Former Super Eagles winger, Finidi George, has been named senior men’s national team’s new head coach by the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF. The 52-year-old former Real Betis and Ajax Amsterdam attacker was given the reins after the NFF Board approved the suggestion of its Technical and Development Committee, according to a statement released on Monday, April 29.

3. Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja has issued an interim order empowering the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to freeze about 1,146 bank accounts belonging to individuals and companies. The EFCC claimed it was investigating the affected accounts over allegations of unauthorised dealing in foreign exchange, money laundering and terrorism financing.

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4. The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, JAMB, has released the 2024 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, UTME, results. The examination, which began on Friday, April 19, ended today, Monday, April 29.

5. Some supporters of the All Progressives Congress, APC, stormed the Secretariat of the ruling party in Abuja on Monday to register their displeasure with those allegedly plotting anarchy in the party. The protesters alleged that some external forces were behind the recent purported suspension of the National Chairman of the party, Abdullahi Ganduje.

6. A High Court in Kano State, on Monday, fixed May 16, 2024, for ruling on whether the court will allow service through substituted means to respondents in the case between the Kano State government and former governor, Abdullahi Ganduje and eight others. Ganduje, his wife, Hafsat and son, Umar and five others are defendants in the suit.

7. National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, has described the New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP, as a party of failed politicians. Speaking while addressing a coalition of support groups who were at the APC national secretariat on a solidarity visit, he alleged that NNPP leaders were sponsoring protest as part of efforts to remove him as APC helmsman.

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8. A Competition and Consumer Protection Tribunal, CCPT, sitting in Abuja, on Monday, restrained MultiChoice Nigeria Limited from increasing its tariffs and cost of products and services scheduled to begin on May 1.

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Tribunal stops MultiChoice from increasing DStv, Gotv subscription rates

Published

11 hours ago

April 29, 2024

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A competition and consumer protection tribunal (CCPT) in Abuja has stopped Multi-Choice Nigeria Limited from increasing its tariffs and cost of products and services scheduled to begin on May 1.

A three-member tribunal led by Saratu Shafii gave the interim order following an ex-parte motion moved by Ejiro Awaritoma, counsel to Festus Onifade, the applicant.

The tribunal, in the ruling, restrained Multi-Choice from going ahead with the impending price increase pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice filed before it.

“The 1st defendant is hereby restrained from taking any step(s) that may negatively affect the rights of the claimant and other consumers in respect of the suit pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice,” Shafii ruled.

Shafii also directed all parties in the suit to appear before the tribunal at 10 a.m. on May 7 for the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.

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Onifade, a legal practitioner, filed the suit marked CCPT/OP/2/2024, against Multi-Choice Nigeria Ltd and the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) on Monday.

On April 24, Multichoice Nigeria announced an increase in the cost of subscriptions for its DStv and GOtv packages.

The pay-TV firm cited the rise in the cost of business operations as the rationale behind the price increase.

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How to check 2024 JAMB UTME results

Published

11 hours ago

April 29, 2024

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The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has released modalities for the checking of the 2024 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) results via SMS.

For candidates who took part in the 2024 UTME organised by JAMB, the examination body said the results of the exercise can be checked following some simple steps.

“Candidates are advised to use the phone numbers they used to register to text UTMERESULT to 55019/66019. There is no need to approach any CBT centre or cybercafé to check results,” JAMB said.

“The following are the responses to be expected hence, a candidate with a result will receive the message: ‘Dear ‘Candidate X’, your result is as follows (and the details will be provided).’”