Protesters Storm Supreme Court Over Alleged Hijack Of Benue Election Tribunal
A coalition of civil society organisations, human rights groups, and concerned citizens staged a peaceful protest on Monday, marching from the National Assembly Complex to the Supreme Court in Abuja.
The demonstrators decried what they described as the hijacking of the Benue Local Government Election Tribunal by powerful political interests.
The protesters carried placards with inscriptions condemning judicial corruption. The protesters also called on the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, to urgently intervene in the unfolding crisis and cleanse the judiciary of corrupt elements.
They also urged President Bola Tinubu to take decisive action to safeguard the integrity of Nigeria’s judicial system.
“Today, we are here as concerned Nigerians who believe in the rule of law. Our democracy is in clear danger, and the Honourable Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, must save it,” said Igwe Ude-Umanta, convener of the protest, while addressing journalists.
He further accused political actors of manipulating the tribunal process, while highlighting that some petitioners had not participated in the election process but were influencing proceedings.
“We also call on President Tinubu not to fold his arms and watch the judiciary go down. The Benue situation is the worst at the moment,” Ude-Umanta added.
The protest follows the controversial relocation of the Benue election tribunal from Makurdi to the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) House in Abuja.
The move was ordered by the Chief Judge of Benue State, Justice Maurice Ikpembese, who cited security concerns.
However, the relocation caused legal backlash, after the Federal High Court in Makurdi initially ordered the tribunal to remain in Benue State.
But the All Progressives Congress (APC) approached an FCT High Court in Abuja, seeking to uphold the earlier relocation order.
On Friday, the FCT High Court granted the APC’s request, and directed that the tribunal sittings continue at the NBA House in Abuja. The court also restrained the tribunal from holding any sessions within Benue State.
The back-and-forth further fueled suspicions of political interference, which has intensified calls for judicial transparency and fairness.
The protesters insisted that only quick intervention by the CJN and President Tinubu could restore public confidence in the judiciary and protect the democratic process in Benue State.
Protesters Storm Supreme Court Over Alleged Hijack Of Benue Election Tribunal is first published on The Whistler Newspaper
