‘Removal Of Benue CJ, Attempt To Rubbish Judiciary’

The All Progressives Congress (APC) Benue North West Senatorial District Elders Council have disclosed that the removal of the Chief Judge of Benue State Justice Maurice Ikpambese is not only a breach of constitutional provisions and legal protocol but also a dangerous attempt to run down the arm of government that is the hope of the common man.

The APC Elders Council, through its chairman Akange Audu and secretary Engr. Begha Nyamkyume held a press conference in Makurdi to clarify the recent political developments in the state. They also lamented the three-month suspension of 13 members of the Benue State House of Assembly, describing it as an unconstitutional, unpatriotic, and ugly development in the state’s political landscape.

The council also called on all stakeholders, including the members of the National Assembly and relevant authorities, to condemn this illegality, saying, “What the Assembly did can best be described as the highest level of legislative rascality.”

They lamented a situation where the suspension of the 13 members of the Assembly was done in the absence of the affected members and without any opportunity to be heard, thereby rendering the suspension null and void for violating the affected persons’ right to fair hearing as enshrined in the Order X Rule 72 Paragraphs 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 & 9 and Order X Rule 73 Paragraphs (a), (b), (c) & (d) of the Benue State House of Assembly Standing Orders, 2023 which deal with suspension or discipline of members.

The elders described the act as unjust and politically motivated
null and void for running afoul of Section 36 (2) (a) of the 1999 Constitution as amended.

The council also expressed worry that two of the 13 lawmakers suspended are simultaneously denied their statutory entitlements, such as vehicles and financial constituency benefits.

“These acts depict discrimination, legislative rascality and insensitivity by the leadership of the Assembly and constitute dangerous precedents that threaten the very fabric of our democratic governance.

“It is an attempt to silence dissent, stifle the voices of the people of our Zone, and deny us effective representation. It is a total denial of representation in legislation for the people of Zone B,” it said.

Regarding the removal of the chief judge, the council stated that the Benue State House of Assembly failed to comply with the relevant provisions of the Constitution, including Section 292, which requires the involvement of the National Judicial Council in the removal process.

The APC Elders Council called on the Benue State House of Assembly to immediately withdraw the lawmakers’ suspensions and provide official vehicles to the two members who were denied their statutory entitlements. They also urged the assembly to cancel the purported approval to remove the chief judge.

The council also appealed to all stakeholders, including the National Assembly and relevant authorities, to condemn the actions of the Benue State House of Assembly and uphold the principles of democracy and the rule of law.

In their separate remarks, Elder Mike Iordye, who spoke for Lower Zone B, Princess Awuesee Torhel, and Bem Mngutyo, who spoke for Jemgbagh, urged the assembly to reverse their actions as a matter of urgency so as not to portray Benue in a bad light.

According to them, “It is not too late for the Assembly to retrace their fault and apologise that what they did was wrong.”