For the third time, Reverend Father Hyacinth Alia has won the rescheduled governorship primary election of the All Progressive Congress in Benue.
Declaring the result of the rescheduled governorship primary on Friday, Chairman of the Committee, Senator Basheer Lado said the Rev Fr polled 410,682 votes to beat his closet rival, Barr Sam Ode, who polled 22,319
Senator Lado explained that the total number of registered voters of the party for the election in the 23 LGAs of the state was 868,010.
Lado who gave a breakdown of votes garnered by each of the aspirants in the 23 LGAs of the state said Mathias Ibuan polled 14,593 votes; Architect Bernard Yisa, 581 votes; Senator Barnabas Gemade, 5,125 votes; Terlumun Ikya, 2,851 votes and Barr Sam Ode polled 22,319 votes.
Others are Rev Fr Hyacinth Alia, 410,682 votes; Michael Kaase Aondoakaa (SAN), 3,815 votes; Godwin Tyoachimin, 1,139.votes; Steven Lawani, 21,172 votes; Prof Terhemba Shija, 2,217 votes; Mlanga, 219 votes; Terwase Orbunde, 1,391 votes, while Herman Hembe polled 638 votes.
The. Chairman said, “With this document before me, I hereby declare Rev Fr Hyacinth Iormem Alia who scored a total number of 410,682 votes; having scored the highest number of votes as the winner of this election.”
Result of the re-run primary shows that Rev Fr Hyacinth Alia polled, 219,002 votes; Architect Bernard Yisa, 136 votes; Sam Ode, 255 votes; Mathia Ibuan, 4,797 votes; Michael Kaase Aondoakaa, SAN, 606 votes and Senator Barnabas Gemade, 450 votes.
Others are Herman Hembe, 688 votes; Terwase Orbunde, 2 votes; Steven Lawani, 120 votes; Mlanga, 766 votes; Terhemba Shija, 219 votes and Godwin Tyoachimin, 454 votes.
The party in the state later held a Special Congress where it affirmed the candidacy of Rev Fr Hyacinth Alia as duly elected to fly the party’s flag in next month’s election.
The State Party Chairman, Austin Agada moved for the ratification of Rev Fr Hyacinth Alia saying, “Those in support that Rev Fr Hyacinth Alia be returned as the governorship candidate of APC in the state, say aye.”
The move was greeted with a resounding ‘aye’, during which Agada said in view of the acceptance of Alia “I hereby ratify Rev Fr Hyacinth Alia as the candidate of the party.”
Meanwhile, Chairman of the Appeal Panel, Umar Kolo said the Appeal Panel would commence sitting by 12 noon on Friday to entertain complaints from aspirants that were not satisfied with the outcome of the election.
It be recalled that the Appeal Court in Makurdi had last week ordered a rerun primary in 11 of the 23 local government areas of the state to determine the authentic candidate of the party.
The Appeal Court made the order when it gave judgment on the case brought before it by one of the aspirants, Professor Terhemba Shija and added that result from the rerun be added to existing result of the 12 LGAs.
The appellate court same day dismissed another appeal brought before it by another governorship aspirant, Senator Barnabas Gemade for statute barred.
While the two aspirants were reported to have proceeded to Supreme Court, two cases initiated by another governorship aspirant, Mike Aondoaaka and the Peoples Democratic Party are still pending before the appeal court in Abuja.
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