Members of Coalition of Civil Society Organisations on Monday took to the streets in Abuja to express their grievances over relocation of Benue State Local Government Elections Petition Tribunal to Abuja .
The protesters were seeking the intervention of President Bola Tinubu, the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun and the National Judicial Council (NJC) to save Benue, vis-à-vis the judiciary from total collapse by the actions of judicial officers.
Protesters in the action codenamed #SavetheNigerianJudiciaryRally held procession round the federal secretariat complex en route National Assembly junction to the Presidential Villa gate during which the coalition submitted a petition to the NJC.
Addressing journalists, the Convener of the Coalition of Civil Society Organisations in Nigeria, Igwe Ude-Umanta, alleged that the Benue State Chief Judge, Justice Maurice Ikpambese abused his office by flouting the state laws, adding that the NJC was quiet.
According to him, Ikpambese, unilaterally granted a waiver to petitioners of Local Government Election Tribunal not to pay security deposit, which he noted as a constitutional prerequisite for any valid petition, saying the CJ was not sanctioned.
Ude-Umanta maintained that the Chief Judge violated the Electoral Laws of Benue State when he relocated the Local Government Elections Petition Tribunal to Abuja out of territorial jurisdiction.
“In an attempt to protect the constitution of Nigeria and the laws of Benue State, the Attorney General of Benue State approached the Federal High Court sitting in Makurdi which granted an order restraining the Tribunal from sitting anywhere outside Benue State including the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) house Abuja. This order was granted on the 7th of March 2025 to the admiration of Nigerians.
“Surprisingly, on Friday 14th March 2025, an FCT High Court 34 presided by Justice M.M Adamu frivolously issued another other compelling the Benue State Local Government Election Tribunal Tribunal to conduct sitting in Abuja and particularly at the NBA House.
“The question is, can the Benue State laws be applied in the FCT or any other state other than Benue State? if the answer is NO, it is also clear that the Benue State Local Government Election Tribunal cannot sit outside Benue State.
“We are here today to submit a petition against Justice Maurice Ikpambese and Justice M. M Adamu who by their actions have converted the title of justice to injustice,” he said.
The convener also raised alarm over plot by some powerful Benue politicians based in Abuja to connive with some top police officers to arrest and detain protesters against the relocation of the tribunal to the nation’s capital.
He called on President Tinubu not to fold his arms when the judiciary is allegedly being bastardised, stressing that the petitioners did not even participate in any process of the election.
“The petitioners ordinarily have no locus to approach the Tribunal because the Austin Agada-led APC executive was desolved and a Caretaker Committee inaugurated before the Justice Theresa Igoche’s order restraining the National Working Committee of the APC from dessolving the Benue State Executive, was served.
“We demand urgent intervention of Hon. Justice Kekere-Ekun, we demand intervention of Mr. President and we demand that NJC called its members involved in the ongoing crisis to order in the interest of peace and justice in Benue state,” Ude-Umanta added.
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