How APC lost bid to stop Benue Council polls

A Makurdi High Court presided over by Justice Wilfred Kpochi has dismissed an interlocutory application filed by the All Progressives Congress, APC, seeking to stop the Benue State Independent Electoral Commission, BSIEC from conducting the March 28, local government elections in Benue state.

Counsel to the APC, M. Mnyim brought the exparte application, praying the court to stop BSIEC and the Benue State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice from going forth with the process of conducting the forthcoming local government elections.

In the ruling Justice Kpochi held that based on the available evidence before him, there is no urgency for him to grant such applications as the APC was aware of the process leading to the conduct of the election since December 2019.

Kpochi maintained that it was late for the court to restrain the state electoral umpire from conducting the exercise, pointing out that election matters are time bound and preparations for the local government polls was already in advance stage.

The Judge noted that recent judicial trend does not warrant him to grant such exparte injunctions in order to protect the nascent democracy, unless for emergency reasons.

He however urged the APC to put the defendants on notice and promised to give accelerated hearing of the substantive suit.

He thereafter adjourned the matter to April 9,2020.