National Telescope national telescope newspaper
Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia, has refuted claims that his administration sponsored a protest against the state’s Chief Judge, Justice Maurice Ikpembese, following his decision to relocate the Benue Local Government Election Petitions Tribunal from Benue to Abuja.
On Monday, hundreds of protesters marched from the National Assembly to the Supreme Court in Abuja, expressing their dissatisfaction with the Chief Judge’s ruling, which he attributed to safety concerns.Justice Ikpembese ordered the tribunal’s move on March 5, citing fears for personal safety while handling disputes from the Benue State Local Government elections held on October 5, 2024.
Since October 17, 2024, 93 petitioners, including candidates from both the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), have filed cases with the tribunal.
The Benue State Attorney General, Mr. Fidelis Mnyim, has criticized the Chief Judge’s unilateral decision, emphasizing that the governor’s office was not formally informed beforehand.In an interview with The PUNCH, Alia’s Chief Press Secretary, Kula Tersoo, clarified that the government had no role in the protest. “The government gains nothing from sponsoring protests; we are focused on infrastructure development in the state,” Tersoo stated. He also noted the unfortunate situation arising from the CJ’s decision to publicly assign tough personnel to the tribunal.
Terna Yaji, Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association in Makurdi, echoed concerns over the politicization of the tribunal case, pointing out conflicting court orders from the Federal High Court in Makurdi and the Abuja High Court, which undermined judicial clarity. Amid political tension, the Benue State Assembly had previously recommended Justice Ikpembese’s removal over misconduct allegations, a move opposed by the National Judicial Council and the NBA.During the protest, participants carried placards denouncing the CJ’s decision to relocate the tribunal. Convener Igwe Ude-Umanta criticized Ikpembese for allegedly granting a waiver to petitioners and blamed Justice M.M. Adamu of the FCT High Court for permitting the tribunal to sit in Abuja despite a restraining order requiring it to meet in Benue.
The protesters called for urgent intervention from Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, urging her to remove corrupt judges from the judiciary and ensure justice is served. They also appealed to President Bola Tinubu to address the issue and restore the integrity of the electoral process. “Our democracy is in danger, and we urge the Chief Justice of Nigeria to intervene,” said Ude-Umanta. “We must not allow corrupt practices to undermine our judiciary.” Initially, the tribunal was supposed to convene in Abuja on March 10 but faced a delay due to a restraining order from the Federal High Court in Makurdi, which mandated that the tribunal sit in Benue State.
Subsequently, the ruling APC sought relief from the FCT High Court, leading to a directive allowing the tribunal to meet at the NBA House in Abuja, thereby overriding the previous court order.
As tensions continue, the situation remains a focal point of debate and concern in Benue State and beyond.(punch newspaper)
