Benue guber: Ortom floors Jime as tribunal upholds his re-election

The Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Makurdi, the Benue State capital on Monday evening upheld the election of Governor Samuel Ortom even as it dismissed the petition of Barr. Emmanuel Jime against him for lack of merit.

Jime who is the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state in the 2019 general election had approached the tribunal shortly after the election to challenge the election of Governor Ortom of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Jime particularly challenged the election of Governor Ortom on the grounds that the election conducted on March 9 and the supplementary election held on March 23, 2019, were marred by irregularities and not conducted in compliance with the Electoral Act 2010 as amended.

The petitioner further alleged that the governor was not duly elected by lawful votes, insisting that he (Jime) scored the highest number of lawful votes and as such, should be declared the winner of the election or in the alternative, order be made for fresh election.