Tribunal to begin pre-trial of Benue governorship dispute May 28

The Governorship, National and State Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal in Benue State has fixed May 28 to commence pre-trial on the only governorship petition before it.

Tribunal secretary Deborah Musa, who disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), on Friday in Makurdi,  said that all court processes had been completed and that the pre-trial was set to begin.

NAN reports that Mr Emmanuel Jime of the All Progressive Congress (APC), is challenging the re-election of Gov Samuel Ortom of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), in the March 2, 2019 polls.

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In the petition filed by Mr Sunday Ameh (SAN), Jime is asking the tribunal to upturn Ortom’s victory and declare him winner having scored the highest number of lawful votes cast.

Mr Michael Gusa, Commissioner for Justice and Attorney General of Benue, has however said that the governor was sure of victory at the tribunal.

“We are very hopeful of victory. The governor’s team of lawyers has raised a preliminary objection asking the court to dismiss the petition for lack of merit,” Gusa had told NAN while filing Ortom’s defense.

NAN reports that Ortom had polled 434,473 votes to defeat Jime, who garnered 345,155 votes .

NAN