Supreme Court yesterday affirmed the election of Mr. Samuel Ortom as governor of Benue State on the platform of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in the February 11 governorship election.
The court dismissed the appeal filed by Dr. Terhemen Tarzoor of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on the ground that he lacked the locus standi to institute the suit.
Reacting to the victotory, Ortom extended an olive branch to Prince Tarzoor, defeated governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP whose appeal was dismissed.
In a unanimous judgment delivered by Justice Nwali Ngwuta, the court held that Tarzoor was not a member of the All Progressives Congress and therefore could not challenge the nomination of Ortom as the governorship candidate of the APC.
Justice Nwali while dismissing the suit awarded N150,000 as cost in favour of Ortom and the APC.
The decision of the Supreme Court has therefore laid to rest all controversies surrounding the emergence of Ortom as Benue State governor.
Justice Ngwuta said that it was only a person or persons who contested the primary election against Ortom that could challenge his nomination.
The court further held that anybody or group who did not participate in the primary election of the APC and was challenging the election of Ortom on the ground of improper nomination was a busy-body and meddlesome interloper
Lawyer to the All Progressives Congress Chief Sebastine Hon (SAN) applauded the verdict of the court and hoped that politicians would learn lesson on how to accept defeat in future election.
Ortom commended Prince Tarzoor for opting for the legal process rather than violence in the pursuit of his political convictions.
The Governor had won the April 11, 2015 Governorship Polls on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, APC, and thereafter at both the Elections Tribunal and the Appeal Court
He stated that now that the apex court had settled the political dispute, he had extended a hand of fellowship to Prince Tarzoor and invited him to join him and contribute his ideas and those of his supporters towards the development of the state.
“What Benue needs at this time is for all its sons and daughters to collectively tackle the challenges of ignorance and disease afflicting the state,” he stressed.
He pledged his commitment to offering the people of the state dedicated service that would eradicate those three challenges.
According to the Governor, the fact that he neither saw nor bribed any judge at all levels through which the case passed indicated that there was hope for people to get justice in the country.
He expressed appreciation to both his legal team and some leaders of the Benue community who were in court and thereafter with him at the lodge for successfully defending the mandate of the Benue electorate and their consistent support.
The Supreme Court had upheld Ortom’s election on the ground of jurisdiction by the PDP candidate Tarzoor to challenge the election
