By Peter Duru

MAKURDI—The Benue State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal, presided over by Justice Elizabeth Karatu, yesterday, dismissed the motion raised by Governor Samuel Ortom, challenging the jurisdiction of the tribunal to entertain the suit.

Counsel to Governor Ortom, Chief Adeniyi Akintola, SAN, had through a motion on notice, asked the court to dismiss the suit brought before it by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, governorship candidate at the last election, Terhemen Tarzoor, challenging the election of Governor Ortom, on the ground that it was an abuse of court process.

However, counsel to Tarzoor, Mrs. Joy Adesina argued that the motion raised by the respondent was intended to prolong the suit and by so doing frustrate  the process. She insisted that all motions raised should be heard alongside the substantive suit.

Citing Paragraph 12(5) of the First Schedule of the 2014 Electoral Act, Mrs. Adesina stated that the provision was intended to checkmate “acts of mischief” in the  adjudication of tribunal cases.