By On Monday morning, protesters stormed the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) headquarters in Abuja, demanding that the Benue State Local Government Election Petition Tribunal be relocated back to the state.
The demonstration followed a March 7 court order from the Federal High Court in Makurdi, which barred the tribunal from holding sessions outside Benue, including at the NBA House in Abuja. Justice R.K. Egbe ruled that any planned relocation must be suspended until further deliberations.
Amid the protest, the tribunal adjourned its proceedings indefinitely. The demonstrators insisted that no lawyer should represent any petitioner or respondent if the tribunal is held outside Benue.
Speaking to reporters, Sunday Ameh, counsel to the respondents, confirmed the panel’s decision to suspend sittings in Abuja, stating they now await a new hearing date.
Meanwhile, Benue State Governor Hyacinth Alia had earlier ordered residents to stay away from tribunal venues in Makurdi, Gboko, and Otukpo, citing security concerns. He also banned protests, unauthorized gatherings, and commercial activities near the tribunals.
The tribunal is currently handling 93 election disputes from the October 5, 2024 local government elections, with petitioners from both the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) challenging the results.
