Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia, has denied any involvement in the recent protest against the state’s Chief Judge, Justice Maurice Ikpembese, following the relocation of the Benue Local Government Election Petitions Tribunal from Benue to Abuja.
On Monday, hundreds of demonstrators from Benue staged a peaceful march in Abuja, moving from the National Assembly to the Supreme Court to protest the Chief Judge’s decision.
Controversy Over Tribunal Relocation
Justice Ikpembese ordered the tribunal’s relocation on March 5, citing security concerns. The tribunal is currently reviewing disputes arising from the October 5, 2024, Benue Local Government elections, with 93 petitioners, including candidates from the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), challenging the election results.
The decision has sparked political tension, with allegations that the state government orchestrated the protest to undermine the judiciary’s authority.
However, Governor Alia, through his Chief Press Secretary, Kula Tersoo, dismissed the claims, insisting that his administration had no hand in the demonstration.
“How can the government sponsor a protest when people are aware of political influences in legal cases? The government has no reason to engage in such actions and is instead focused on developing infrastructure in the state,” Tersoo said in an interview on Monday.
He also criticized the Chief Judge for making unilateral decisions, noting that neither the governor nor the state’s Attorney General had been formally informed about the tribunal’s relocation.
Legal Community Reacts to Tribunal Dispute
The controversy has also drawn reactions from legal experts. The Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Makurdi branch, Terna Yaji, condemned the politicization of the tribunal case, warning that judicial independence should be upheld.
He also expressed concern over conflicting court orders from the Federal High Court in Makurdi and the High Court in Abuja, which have added to the legal uncertainty surrounding the tribunal’s relocation.
“The judiciary should not be influenced by politics. The conflicting court rulings create confusion, but the most recent decision should take precedence,” Yaji stated.
Ongoing Tensions Between Government and Judiciary
The situation comes amid strained relations between the Benue State Government and the judiciary, following previous attempts to remove the Chief Judge over allegations of misconduct and corruption.
While the governor has distanced himself from the latest protest, the dispute underscores the growing tensions in Benue’s political and judicial landscape, with stakeholders calling for a transparent and fair legal process.