A protest has erupted in Abuja against the relocation of Benue State Local Government Elections Petition Tribunal to Abuja.
The protesters under the aegis of the Coalition of Civil Society Organisations in Nigeria, asked President Bola Tinubu, the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun and the National Judicial Council (NJC) to save Benue from the actions of judicial officers.
Convener of the Coalition, Igwe Ude-Umanta, who is leading the protesters in the action codenamed #SavetheNigerianJudiciaryRally held procession round the federal secretariat complex through the National Assembly junction to the Presidential Villa gate during which the coalition submitted a petition to the NJC.
Ude-Umanta accused the Benue State Chief Judge, Justice Maurice Ikpambese of flouting the state laws, 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.
He said the Chief Judge also contravened the Electoral Laws of Benue State when he relocated the Local Government Elections Petition Tribunal to Abuja out of its 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 Nigerian 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 accused some unnamed powerful Benue politicians based in Abuja of conniving with some top police officers to arrest and detain protesters against the movement of the tribunal to Abuja.
He urged 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.
