Father Hyacinth Alia has been declared the winner of the rerun primary election of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Benue having polled 410,682 votes.

Chairman, Rescheduled Election Committee, Senator Basheer Lado, announced Mr Alia as winner in Makurdi on Thursday.

Mr Lado said the first runner-up was Dr Matthias Byuan who polled 14,592 votes while the second runner-up was Senator Barnabas Gemade who scored 5,125 votes.

Professor Terhemba Shija scored 2,217 votes, while Michael Aondoakaa and Iorwase Hembe scored 3,815 and 638 votes, respectively.

“The winner of the exercise is Alia. Having scored the highest vote cast. I declare him as the winner,” Mr Lado said.

Mr Alia’s candidature was later ratified by members of the party through a voice vote.

The party chairman, Austin Agada had put a question to members seeking to know whether the result was a true reflection of what transpired in the field and they answered in the affirmative.

“Having ratified Alia’s candidature, I therefore, declare that Alia is the governorship candidate of the party in Benue,’’ Agada said.

The Appeal Court in Makurdi had on January 23 nullified the APC primary which produced Mr Alia as winner. Justice Biobelle agreed with the appellant, Mr Shija that no primary election held in 11 LGAs of the state and ordered a rerun within 14 days.

(NAN)