Appeal Court Sacks Benue State Former Governor, Suswam, As Senator

Gabriel Suswam, a former governor of Benue State, was fired from the Senate by the Court of Appeal in Abuja.

In a unanimous ruling on Wednesday, the three-judge appellate court stated that it was convinced Suswam was not the legitimate winner of the senatorial election that took place in Benue North East on February 25.

It criticized the Benue State National Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal’s decision to send Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate Suswam back to the Senate.

The panel had declared Emmanuel Udende of the All Progressives Congress (APC)’s election victory to be void.

According to circulating reports, the appellate court believes the tribunal incorrectly assessed the information put up by the parties and as a result reached a mistaken decision that supported Suswam’s petition contesting Udende’s election victory.

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As a result, the court declared that it saw merit in the APC candidate’s appeal, and it overturned the tribunal’s decision.

The appellate court declared, “The judgment of the tribunal delivered on 8/9/2023 is hereby set aside,” in a decision read by Justice Abimbola Osarugue Obaseki Adejumo.

“The return of the Appellant as the winner of the Benue North East senatorial election that was held on February 25 is hereby affirmed.

“Parties are to bear their respective cost.”

Note that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Udende as winner of the senatorial election after he polled a total of 135,573 votes to defeat Senator Suswam who garnered 112,231 votes.

Not satisfied with the outcome of the election, Suswam approached the tribunal on the ground that it was marred by over-voting, irregularities, alterations and falsification of results.