The Benue State Local Government Election Appeal Tribunal has been formally inaugurated to adjudicate appeals stemming from decisions made by the Local Government Election Petitions Tribunal.
The newly established Appeal Tribunal, which will sit in Abuja, is chaired by Justice Dennis Igyuse. He is joined by Justice Michael Ugar and Justice Maimuna Ikwulono as members of the panel.
The inauguration follows closely on the heels of the lower tribunal’s impending judgments in several high-profile petitions arising from the contentious local government elections held on October 5, 2024.
The Appeal Tribunal is expected to provide recourse for political parties and candidates dissatisfied with the rulings of the initial tribunal. However, skepticism remains. A source familiar with the tribunal proceedings remarked, with pointed irony, that “those who wish to further waste money can proceed to appeal.”
Controversy continues to surround the tribunal’s relocation from Makurdi to Abuja in March 2025. The move, prompted by security concerns and an ongoing judiciary staff strike, ignited protests and legal pushback from several stakeholders.
Initially, the Federal High Court in Makurdi issued a ruling halting the tribunal’s sitting in Abuja. However, the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory later granted an interim order allowing proceedings to resume, effectively greenlighting the Appeal Tribunal’s activities in the capital.
As tensions simmer and legal battles unfold, all eyes remain on the tribunal as it prepares to wade through a fresh wave of electoral disputes.
