From Godwin Tsa Abuja
The planned sitting of the Benue Local Government Election Petition Tribunal at the NBA House Abuja was, yesterday, aborted by the order of the Makurdi division of the Federal High Court, restraining it from sitting outside the state.
The dramatic twist played out shortly after the tribunal was getting set to commence sitting at the NBA House, Abuja, with all the petitioners, respondents, lawyers and journalists in attendance.
The sitting was aborted after the certified true copies (CTC) of the enrolled ex parte order was served on members of the tribunals, by a court bailiff from the Makurdi division of the Federal High Court, who had arrived at the venue of the tribunal in the early hours of yesterday.
Following the service of the restraining order on them, members of the tribunal, who were equally listed as respondents, announced their decision not to proceed further in strict obedience to the order of court.
Speaking after the development, both Yahaha Dangana (SAN); Ocha Ulegede and Anthony Ijohor (SAN), confirmed that an order of a Federal High Court had been served on the members of the tribunal, restraining them from sitting outside Abuja or any other place outside Benue State.
Justice Peter Egbe of the Makurdi division of the Federal High Court had in an ex-parte motion, restrained the tribunal from holding at the NBA House Abuja or any other venue outside the state. The motion marked FHC/MKD/CS/84/2025 was filed by the Attorney General of Benue State, the Benue State Independent National Selection Commission (BSIEC) and 24 others.
The suit is a direct fall out of the standoff between the Benue State Government and the Chief Judge of the state, Justice Maurice Ikpambese, who had directed the relocation of the tribunal sitting from Benue to Abuja.
Specifically, the Chief Judge of Benue State, Justice Maurice Ikpambese, had, in a circular dated March 4, 2025, directed the relocation of all Local Government Election Petition Tribunals and the Appeal Tribunal from Benue to the NBA House, Abuja.
The circular titled ‘Directive for the Immediate Relocation of the Local Government Election Petitions Tribunals to NBA House, Abuja,’ explained that the move was necessary due to security threats and an ongoing strike by the Benue State Judiciary Staff Union.
“In view of the prevailing security threats and the judiciary workers’ strike, it has become necessary to take urgent measures to ensure the safety of tribunal members, litigants, and counsel, while facilitating smooth proceedings within the legally prescribed time frame,” the CJ stated.
However, in a counter move, the Attorney General of Benue State, Benue State Independent National Selection Commission (BSIEC) and 24 others, filed and obtained an ex parte order restraining the tribunal from sitting in Abuja or any other place outside the state.
The tribunals are currently handling disputes arising from the Benue State Local Government elections conducted on October 5, 2024.
Reports indicate that 93 petitioners, including aggrieved candidates from both the All Progressives Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party, had filed cases at the tribunal since October 17, 2024. Tensions between the Benue State Government and the Chief Judge have been escalating in recent weeks.
The Benue State House of Assembly, acting on a petition from Governor Hyacinth Alia, recently recommended Justice Ikpembese’s removal, a move that was resisted by the National Judicial Council (NJC) and the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA). Meanwhile, the opposition Peoples Democratic Party in the state has backed the Chief Judge’s decision to relocate the tribunals.