Tribunal ruling: Onjeh files four grounds of appeal against Moro’s victory

The All Progressives Congress, APC, 2023 Senatorial Candidate for Benue South, Comrade Daniel Onjeh, on Thursday, filed an appeal at the Appeal Court, Makurdi, seeking to nullify the judgment of the National and State Assembly Elections Petition Tribunal, which affirmed the victory of Sen. Patrick Abba Moro of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, for the Benue Zone C Senatorial District.

A three-member panel of the Tribunal sitting in Makurdi, Benue State, led by Hon. Justice Ory Zik-Ikeoha, on September 10, dismissed Onjeh’s petition.

Onjeh’s petition had Senator Abba Moro, the PDP and the INEC as respondents.

In their ruling, the three-member panel of the Tribunal held that the petitioners failed to prove allegations of non-qualification and not being duly elected by the majority of lawful votes cast at the election against Moro, as well as allegations of non-compliance with the Electoral Act, 2022, in the conduct of the 25th February, 2023 Senatorial Election.

But Onjeh, in a swift response, announced that it was not over yet, stating that his lawyers were studying the judgment of the Tribunal and would advise on his next course of action.

Subsequently, he filed a four-ground Notice of Appeal on Thursday at the Court of Appeal, Makurdi Judicial Division, challenging the entire decisions of the Tribunal.

The former Chairman, Governing Board of the Projects Development Institute (PRODA), Enugu, through his team of lawyers led by Mr. Adetunji Oso, argued that the Election Petition Tribunal’s ruling occasioned a grave miscarriage of justice, by upholding Sen. Moro’s victory at the 25th February, 2023 polls.

Onjeh is consequently asking the Appeal Court to set aside the declaration and return of the 1st Respondent and declare him as the person that scored lawful majority votes cast in the election.