Controversial Victory: APC Claims All 23 LG Seats in Benue as Appeal Panel Overturns Tribunal Rulings

 

The political landscape in Benue State has been rocked once again following a contentious verdict delivered by the Appeal Panel on Local Government Election Petitions. Sitting at the Nigerian Bar Association House in Abuja, the panel ruled in favor of the All Progressives Congress (APC), affirming the party’s victory in all 23 local government chairmanship seats from the October 2024 local elections.

The ruling, handed down on Tuesday, June 3, 2025, effectively overturned decisions made earlier by the Local Government Election Petition Tribunals, which had nullified APC victories in nine local councils. Those tribunals had previously found substantial irregularities and evidence of non-compliance with the Benue State Independent Electoral Commission’s (BSIEC) guidelines.

Vandeikya, Konshisha, Kwande, Ushongo, Otukpo, Agatu, Ado, Apa, and Ohimini were among the local government areas where tribunal judgments had cast significant doubt on the conduct of the polls. The appeal panel, however, dismissed these concerns, arguing that the petitions filed — mainly by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and other opposition parties — lacked merit and failed to provide sufficient evidence of electoral malpractice.

The finality of the appeal’s verdict has drawn both relief and ire across the state. APC supporters have welcomed the outcome with jubilation, but for many in the opposition and civil society, the ruling does little to erase the cloud of suspicion hanging over the entire electoral process.

Questions continue to swirl around how credible and free these local elections were, especially in light of Benue’s persistent security challenges. Large swaths of rural areas remain gripped by violence, with near-daily reports of killings, kidnappings, and displacement attributed to armed herders and bandits. Voters in many parts of the state, particularly in the rural North East and South East zones, reported being unable to cast their votes or even reach polling units safely due to fear for their lives.

Critics argue that the APC-led state government has done little to address these security concerns meaningfully. The same regions where insecurity is rampant happen to be where the APC allegedly secured sweeping victories — an odd coincidence that some say casts a long shadow over the legitimacy of the results.

Civil society observers point to the unusually low voter turnout and irregularities in the collation process as red flags. “It is difficult to reconcile the overwhelming victories with the ground realities in many local governments where insecurity made normal political activities nearly impossible,” said a local observer who requested anonymity. “When people can’t leave their homes for fear of being attacked, it’s hard to believe that a fair and competitive election took place.”

Nonetheless, the APC leadership has maintained that the elections were lawful and reflected the will of the people. Melvin Ejeh, the chairman of Agatu Local Government — one of the disputed councils — hailed the appeal panel’s judgment as a vindication of the party’s popularity and a reaffirmation of democratic principles. “This is a triumph of justice,” he declared. “Now is the time to work together, irrespective of party differences, to deliver meaningful development to our communities.”

His conciliatory tone, however, has been met with skepticism by members of the opposition, who argue that development cannot take root on the foundation of flawed democracy. PDP officials have described the verdict as a “legal rubber stamp” on a rigged process, pointing to what they called the systematic intimidation of voters and manipulation of the electoral process by state-aligned forces.

For many Benue residents, particularly those living in areas hardest hit by violence, the controversy over the elections feels like just another layer of betrayal. “Our villages are burning, and politicians are arguing over who won an election that we couldn’t even vote in,” said a farmer from Kwande. “Who is going to bring peace? That’s what matters — not these court rulings.”

As the APC prepares to install its chairmen across all local councils, the larger question looms: will these leaders have the moral legitimacy and public trust needed to govern effectively, especially at a time when the state faces some of its most severe challenges?

While the judiciary has had its final say on the legal status of the APC’s victories, the political and moral debate continues — unresolved and as urgent as ever.