The National/State Assembly Election Petition Tribunal in Makurdi has upheld the election of Rep. Solomon Wombo of All Progressives Congress (APC) for the Kastina-Ala/Ukum/Logo Federal Constituency election of Benue.

Delivering the judgement on Monday, the chairman of the panel, Justice Ory’zik Ikeorha, said the petitioners, Richard Gbande and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), failed to prove their case.

Ms Ikeorha said that 17 out of the 19 witnesses called by the petitioner filed their written addresses out of time and dismissed same.

She said while some of the paragraphs of the petition were complaints on polling units, many others were generic and without basis.

“The reliefs sought are hereby refused, the petition stands dismissed in entirety, no order of cost,” she said.

INEC had declared Mr Wombo as the winner of the Feb. 25 election with 59,939 votes while Mr Gbande came second with 39,414 votes.

Dissatisfied with the outcome, Mr Gbande and the PDP dragged Mr Wombo, APC and INEC before the tribunal challenging the declaration by INEC.

The petitioners stated that the respondent did not score the majority of the lawful votes cast at the February, Kastina-Ala/Ukum/Logo Federal Constituency election

The petitioner also prayed the court to nullify the election in all the polling units with irregularities and declare him as the winner of the election or order for fresh poll.

(NAN)