Benue State Governorship Tussle:Supreme Court Makes Final Decision

 Barely two months after the Court of Appeal sitting in Makurdi, on November 18, 2015, upheld the verdict of the election petition tribunal which affirmed the qualification and election of Samuel Ortom as the state governor,the Supreme court on Friday gave the final judgment on the Benue election governorship tussle
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The Apex court in its final ruling affirmed Ortom's election as valid which ensures that the All Progressive Congress Governorship Candidate is rightful winner of the 2015 election.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, Terhemen Tarzoor, had challenged Ortom's election asking the court to reverse the tribunal’s judgement and declare him winner of the April governorship election in the state.

Tarzoor filed a petition before the tribunal challenging the qualification of Ortom to contest the April 11, 2015 governorship election in the state alleging that Ortom was not validly nominated by APC to be its flag bearer but the Justice Elizabeth Karatu-led tribunal, on the September  21, 2015, dismissed the petition, claiming that the petitioner failed to seek as one of its reliefs the conduct of a fresh election.

Mr. Terhemen Tarzoor's quest for the Tribunal's ruling to be upturned by the Supreme court has therefore failed as Samuel Ortom's electoral victory has been declared valid.