Suswam, Onjeh challenge Gemade, Mark at tribunal

Secretary of the tribunal, Sulaju Gusau told newsmen that two of the petitions were filed by dissatisfied senatorial candidates while the other four were received from House of Representatives candidates.Gusau disclosed that Governor Gabriel Suswam of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for Benue North East district is challenging the election of Senator Barnabas Gemade of […]

Secretary of the tribunal, Sulaju Gusau told newsmen that two of the petitions were filed by dissatisfied senatorial candidates while the other four were received from House of Representatives candidates.
Gusau disclosed that Governor Gabriel Suswam of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for Benue North East district is challenging the election of Senator Barnabas Gemade of the All Progressives Congress (APC), while Daniel Onjeh also of APC is contesting the election of the Senate President David Mark for the Benue South District of the state.
The other petition, according to the tribunal secretary was filed by Idikwu Wonnah of the APC against the election of Samson  Uku of the PDP while Nelson Alapa of the APC is opposing the election of Ezekiel Adaji on the platform of the PDP.
Similarly, Engr. Terhemen Hon of the PDP is challenging the election of Herman Hembe of the APC while Robert Tyough is against the election of Benjamin Wayo of APC.
The governor, through his counsel, Andrew Wombo, told journalists in Makurdi yesterday that he filed the petition on the grounds that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) failed to abide by the provisions of the electoral guidelines.
 Wombo argued that his client scored  the highest number of votes in the March 28, Benue North East Senatorial election while the APC candidate for Benue South senatorial district, Onjeh told newsmen that his petition was premised on electoral irregularities and malpractices.
According to Wombo, “after the polls, we applied for the inspection of the election materials and INEC availed us the certified true copies and after going through we discovered that the actual winner based on what transpired at the polling units was Governor Suswam and not Senator Gemade.”