The Federal High Court sitting in Makurdi, the Benue State capital has declared Hingah Biem winner of the gubernatorial primaries of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) held on October 1st 2018.
Delivering the judgement on Friday 18th January 2019, the judge in her ruling said Hingah Biem having fulfilled all the requirements of the party in line with the extant electoral laws is qualified in every ramification to represent the party in the March 2019 general elections.
Following the judgment, the federal High Court orders SDP to forward Hingah Biam’s name to INEC as the party’s governorship candidate in Benue instead of Stephen Hwande, court in the same vein ordered INEC to immediately recognize Hingah Biam as SDP governorship candidate in Benue.
The Court also extended its orders to Stephen Hwande to stop parading himself as a governorship candidate of the SDP in the forthcoming general elections.
Reacting to the judgement, Hingah Biem described it as a victory for democracy and social justice. He regretted the time wasted on litigation, describing it as an unnecessary distraction.
Hingah Biem called on all party faithfuls to wake up and double their efforts in educating the Benue electorate.
On his part, the running mate of the confirmed SDP gubernatorial candidate for Benue state, Daniel Otache described the court ruling as an act of God and the victory of truth over falsehood.
While appreciating everyone who stood by them throughout the period, Daniel Otache called on every well meaning SDP member to join forces with the Hingah Biem rescue mission as nobody is a looser in the case.
Addressing the newsmen shortly after the Court judgement, the lawyer in charge of the case, Oscar Aorabee said that the Court ruling favoured his client based on the fact that he was a member of the party on and before the party’s primaries unlike his client opponent who joined the party shortly after the party’s Primaries which is against the Constitution of the party.
Through a telephone conversation with the lawyer of Stephen Hwande who lost out in court to his counterpart said, the next line of action will be made public after his due consultation with the client, after all the newsmen efforts to reach the client was approved abortive.
