Suspended Benue Elected Local Government Chairmen Take Steps to Enforce Court Judgement Stopping their Suspension Disobeyed by Benue State Government

MAKURDI; 23rd November 2023 — The National Industrial Court sitting in Makurdi today heard the case brought by the 23 unlawfully suspended Local Government chairmen of Benue State who are seeking to enforce the order of the court stopping their suspension, and otherwise removal from office before the expiration of their term on 29th June 2024.

It would be recalled that the 23 Local Government chairmen (the plaintiffs), under the aegis of Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) Benue State had approached the court on the issue earlier in the year, and on 15th June, the National Industrial Court sitting in Makurdi per Justice (Dr) I J Essien, suit number NICN/MKD/31/2023, had upon hearing both sides issued a direct order to the Governor of Benue State, Speaker of the House of Assembly, the House of Assembly, the Attorney-General of Benue, and the Special Adviser, Bureau of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs (all of whom were the defendants) to desist from suspending the chairmen or dissolving their councils.

However, in a brazen manner and in utter contempt of court, they went ahead on 23rd June (barely 8 days after the judgement) to not only suspend the elected chairmen but also the elected councillors, and appointed secretaries, and supervisors.

All the contemnors (the defendants in the that suit who disobeyed the court order and are now in contempt of court) were represented in court  today.

Form 48 (notice of consequences of disobedience of court order) and Form 49 (notice to the contemnor— ie the parties in contempt of court—to show cause why an order of committal (to prison) should not be made against them) have duly been served on all of them, save for the Governor of Benue State.

The court ordered same to be served to Office of Governor through Secretary to the State Government (SSG) and to appear in court personally on the next adjourned date where all contemnors are to show cause why an order of committal to prison for the disobedience of court order and holding the court in contempt should not be made against them.

The matter has been adjourned to 15th January 2024.

ATERA, Alfred A.

Secretary, ALGON Benue/Chairman, Katsina-Ala Local Government Area