Peoples Democratic Party in Benue State has expressed concern over the visit of the state governor, Rev Fr Hyacinth Alia to Shendam in Plateau State, the country home of the President of Court of Appeal, Justice Monica Bolna’an Donogban-Mensem.
Governor Alia had on Saturday attended the a Year Remembrance Mass in honour of late Prince Paeke Shepnaan, son of the President Court Of Appeal, Hon Justice Monica Bolna’an Dongban-Mensem, in Shendam Local Government Area of Plateau State.
The publicity secretary of PDP in the state, Bemgba Iortyom noted that the party viewed what it described as ‘frolicking of Governor Alia around the Court of Appeal President with deep suspicion for the fact that the governor is having his election challenged by the party before the Benue State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal (BGEPT) sitting in Makurdi.
The PDP said “is aware that the President of the Court of Appeal appoints the Judges who sit on the various election petition tribunals, and while the party has no reason to doubt the integrity of the president and those judges, the same cannot be said of the Benue State Governor.”
The party warned the governor against any act that may seek to tamper with the course of justice at the BGEPT.
“Our great party reiterates that any attempt by Governor Alia to tamper with justice at the BGEPT will be stoutly resisted through every means lawful and available to the party.
In its swift reaction, the All Progressive Congress in the state called on the opposition PDP not to think of getting justice through the back door.
The state publicity secretary of the party, Daniel Ihomun noted that the governor was free to attend any event invited to so as to show his love and concern to people.
Ihomun said, “PDP is just suffering from the defeat of March 18, 2023 , as people of the state freely gave their mandate to the governor and our party we will continue to defend the mandate and work towards the betterment of the people of the state.
“Governor won the election free and fair and it’s on record that no governorship election in the state that has recorded such a huge margin which is 250,000 votes difference.
“PDP should wake up from slumber and accept the reality that it can not get justice through the back door. Court deals with facts and reality on ground.
“Governor Alia and the party is poised to uplift the lives of people of the state which PDP had destroyed in the past years.”
