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Benue tackles CJ for relocating LG poll tribunal to Abuja
The Benue State Government has raised concerns over the directive issued by the state’s Chief Judge, Justice Maurice Ikpembese, to relocate the Local Government Election Petition Tribunals to Abuja.
The tribunals are currently handling disputes arising from the Benue State Local Government elections conducted on October 5, 2024.
Reports indicate that 93 petitioners, including aggrieved candidates from both the All Progressives Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party, have filed cases at the tribunal since October 17, 2024.
In a statement on Wednesday, Justice Ikpembese cited security concerns as the primary reason for relocating the tribunal proceedings to Abuja, emphasising the need to safeguard the lives of judges amid rising threats of violence.
However, speaking to journalists in Makurdi, the state’s Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice and Public Order, Mr. Fidelis Mnyim, questioned the CJ’s unilateral decision, noting that neither the governor nor his office had been formally notified.
“The state government, which funds the judiciary, was not informed about this decision,” Mnyim said. “We woke up to rumours that the tribunals had been relocated. When we went to the court premises, we found them deserted. As the Attorney General and a respondent in these cases representing the Benue State Independent Electoral Commission, I retain the right to be officially informed of such a critical decision.”
Justice Ikpembese had issued a circular titled ‘Directive for the Immediate Relocation of the Local Government Election Petitions Tribunals to NBA House, Abuja,’ explaining that the move was necessary due to security threats and an ongoing strike by the Benue State Judiciary Staff Union.
“In view of the prevailing security threats and the judiciary workers’ strike, it has become necessary to take urgent measures to ensure the safety of tribunal members, litigants, and counsel while facilitating smooth proceedings within the legally prescribed time frame,” the CJ stated.
Tensions between the Benue State Government and the Chief Judge have been escalating in recent weeks.
The Benue State House of Assembly, acting on a petition from Governor Hyacinth Alia, recently recommended Justice Ikpembese’s removal, a move that was resisted by the National Judicial Council and the Nigerian Bar Association.
Meanwhile, the opposition Peoples Democratic Party in the state has backed the Chief Judge’s decision to relocate the tribunals.
Speaking to newsmen on Wednesday, Benue PDP Publicity Secretary, Tim Nyor, emphasised security concerns.
“This is a matter of safety, and the party supports the relocation order given by the Chief Judge,” Nyor said. “Sponsored hoodlums previously held tribunal judges hostage for five hours and blocked access to the court premises using sandbags.”
Given that election petitions are time-bound, Nyor maintained that relocating to Abuja is the best option to protect the lives of tribunal judges and litigants while ensuring the process continues without interference.
News
President Tinubu returns to Lagos ahead of APC primaries tomorrow (Video)
Tinubu’s aircraft touched down at about 7:12 p.m. at the Presidential Wing of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja.
• President Tinubu chats with African business leaders during the African CEO Forum in Nairobi, Kenya.
President Bola Tinubu on Friday arrived in Lagos after a three-nation visit to France, Kenya and Rwanda.
Tinubu’s aircraft touched down at about 7:12 p.m. at the Presidential Wing of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja.
A statement issued by his special adviser on information and strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said that the president was received by Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu; Deputy Governor, Femi Hamzat; Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila; Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa; and other government officials.
President Tinubu, while in France, met with global investors, emphasising transparency and fiscal discipline and explaining the rationale for the swift implementation of the bold economic reforms his administration has instituted.
Watch Video below:
News
Anxiety as chemical pollution affects 6 Ogun schools, 90 students
Triggers Widespread Panic One Month After Similar Incident
More than 90 students across several secondary schools in Ijebu-Ode were hospitalised on Friday after a suspected chemical odour permeated the town, sparking panic among parents and residents.
Ohibaba.com learned that the pollution was caused by gas leak along the Agoro/Okunowa Road axis of Ijebu-Ode; the situation is now under control by the state environmental monitoring agency, and poses no further danger.
The incident occurred barely one month after a similar chemical odour episode at Our Lady of Apostles Girls School left several students hospitalised.
Eyewitnesses reported that a strange smell spread rapidly across parts of the ancient town, prompting parents and guardians to rush to schools to evacuate their children. Emergency responders moved over a thousand students from affected schools to the State Hospital, Ijebu-Ode, for medical attention.
Medical personnel at the hospital said many of the affected students complained of abdominal pain and related symptoms. Residents in surrounding communities and adjoining streets were also reportedly impacted by the unusual odour.
Affected schools include Our Lady of Apostles School, Anglican Girls Grammar School, Ijebu-Ode Grammar School, Sambadola Private School, Adeola Odutola Secondary School, and St. Anthony School, Esure, in Ijebu Mushin.
As of the time of reporting, no senior government officials had arrived at the State Hospital, where anxious parents and residents gathered in large numbers.
Ogun State Commissioner for Education, Prof. Abayomi Arigbabu, urged parents to remain calm, assuring them that medical personnel were attending to the students. He added that environmental officials from both federal and state agencies had been mobilised to investigate the situation.
The General Manager of the Ogun State Environmental Protection Agency (OGEPA), Hon. Kehinde Bello, disclosed that an air quality monitoring device installed at Ijebu-Ode Grammar School recorded elevated methane gas concentrations, with peak readings of about 13,500 ppm in surrounding areas.
Bello explained that the device was deployed under the state government’s environmental surveillance programme for early detection of abnormal air quality. He noted that while the methane level remains below the lower explosive limit, it is environmentally significant and requires urgent investigation.
The Ogun State Government has since activated a multi-agency team comprising environmental regulators, emergency responders, and technical air quality experts to assess the situation.
Bello advised residents to stay calm, continue normal activities, and avoid open flames or ignition sources in areas where unusual gas odours are noticed. He urged anyone experiencing symptoms such as dizziness, headaches, nausea, or respiratory discomfort to seek immediate medical attention at nearby health facilities.
The government assured the public of its commitment to protecting lives and public health, promising further updates as investigations progress.
News
JUST IN: Dangote files new lawsuit against FGN over fuel import licences
The new filing asks the Federal High Court in Lagos to set aside import permits issued or renewed by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), arguing they breach an earlier order to maintain the status quo.
Dangote Petroleum Refinery has filed a new lawsuit against Nigeria’s attorney general in a bid to overturn fuel import licences issued to marketers and the NNPC state oil firm.
Reuters reported that the new filing asks the Federal High Court in Lagos to set aside import permits issued or renewed by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), arguing they breach an earlier order to maintain the status quo.
The case signals renewed tensions almost a year after Dangote withdrew an earlier lawsuit challenging similar licences.
That case sought to nullify import permits issued to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company and several traders.
NMDPRA did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Regulators and marketers have previously argued imports are needed to ensure adequate supply and prevent shortages.
Dangote said in the filing that the licences issued this month undermine its operations and contravene the law, which it argues allows imports only when domestic supply falls short.
Dangote ended the earlier lawsuit in July 2025 without explanation, leaving unresolved questions over competition and supply in one of Africa’s largest fuel markets.
Nigeria has long relied on petrol imports due to underperforming state refineries. Dangote’s $20 billion facility, with a capacity of 650,000 barrels per day, was billed to end that dependence, but imports have continued to cover supply gaps as the refinery ramps up output.
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