- He says he has confidence in the judicial system.
- Appeals to disgruntled members to join forces in moving Benue forward.
The governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Benue State, Rev. Fr. Dr. Hyacinth Iormem Alia, has reacted to the Federal High Court judgment giving him victory over one of the governorship aspirants, Prof. Terhemba Shija, in the just concluded APC Governorship Primaries in Benue State.
Fr. Alia was quoted as saying he has trust and hope in the judicial system in Nigeria.
It would be recalled that in a unanimous judgment, the federal high court sitting in Makurdi on Thursday, November 24, 2022, dismissed the suit by Prof. Terhemba Shija challenging the validity of the APC primary elections that produced the Catholic Priest, Rev. Fr. Dr. Hyacinth Iormem Alia as the governorship candidate of the party in Benue State for lack of merit.
The presiding judge, Justice Hassan Dikko, who delivered the judgment, stated that the case lacked merit and was therefore dismissed. However, the judge stated that the plaintiffs have the right to appeal.
The court held that the APC conducted valid governorship primaries as witnessed by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and declared Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia as the authentic winner.
Reacting to the court judgment during a press briefing today in Makurdi, the Benue State capital, Fr. Alia commended the judicial system, saying the victory is for the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the good people of Benue.
Fr. Alia, who described himself as a unifier and bridge builder, urged the aggrieved members to return so that they could build the party and deliver dividends of democracy to the Benue people together.
He said, “I’m a bridge builder, a unifying factor, and as the candidate of our great party, I made a pledge to be magnanimous in victory.” “Let me take advantage of this opportunity to extend my hand of fellowship to all the aggrieved members to return, so that we can rebuild our party, win our elections, and deliver Benue State from the shackles of poverty and maladministration.”
Concerning the three cases currently pending in court, Fr. Alia expressed confidence in the judicial system, expressing his faith that the court will follow the rule of law and deliver a fair judgment in his favor.
He advised his teeming supporters to be equally magnanimous in victory, remain law-abiding, and pray for victory in the pending court cases initiated against him by Senator Barnabas Gemade and Mike Aondoakaa, SAN.
This article is related to https://alia2023.org/2023-benue-apc-adopts-direct-primaries-for-nomination-of-candidates/
