Benue Zone B Tribunal Councillorship Case Dismissal

The Benue Zone B Local Government Election Petition Tribunal has rejected a petition contesting the outcome of a councillorship election, stating that the case falls under pre-election matters and that the petitioner failed to fulfill the mandatory security cost requirement.

In its judgment, the tribunal ruled that the petitioner could not prove that the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Benue State had officially submitted his candidacy to the Benue State Independent Electoral Commission (BSIEC). The court dismissed the claim, describing it as an unsubstantiated assumption lacking credible evidence.

Furthermore, the panel clarified that the petitioner was not recognized as a candidate in the election since the individual had not completed the required electoral procedures. The ruling emphasized that disputes regarding the dissolution of a party’s executive committee or the nomination of candidates are classified as pre-election issues, which should have been resolved before the polls rather than through a post-election legal challenge.

The tribunal also faulted the petitioners for failing to provide substantial proof to back their claims, highlighting that they had simply “dumped their documents” in court without properly defending their case.

For further details on electoral petition procedures, visit the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)