Former Senate President, Ameh Ebute, has backed the validity of the Benue State House of Assembly’s resolution to remove Chief Judge Justice Maurice Ikpambese.
Ebute argued that Justice Ikpambese no longer holds the legal authority to order the relocation of the Local Government Election Petition Tribunals and Appeal Panel from Makurdi to Abuja.
In an interview on TVC, Ebute criticized the decision to relocate the tribunals, describing it as unprecedented and a violation of legal procedures. He emphasized that local government matters are strictly state affairs, and Justice Ikpambese had no authority to transfer tribunal sittings outside Benue State, particularly after his removal from office by the State House of Assembly.
“I attended the sittings in Makurdi on three occasions before the then Chief Judge, Justice Ikpambese, made the decision to relocate the Tribunal sittings to Abuja,” Ebute said. “It is not a National Election Tribunal, and it is only within the state that the Tribunal can sit.”
Ebute further noted that if security concerns were the issue, the Governor of Benue State, who is the chief security officer, could ensure adequate protection for the Tribunal and litigants within the state. “But nobody has come to the governor with any complaint of insecurity at the Tribunal,” he stated.
The former Senate President revealed that this was the third relocation of the Tribunal, which had first moved from Otukpo, Adikpo, and Gboko to Makurdi before being moved to Abuja. He questioned the motives behind Justice Ikpambese’s insistence on relocating the Tribunal, particularly when the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) headquarters in Abuja, where the sittings were set to take place, is not recognized as a court under the Benue State Electoral Laws.
Ebute suggested that the relocation to Abuja might have been an attempt to manipulate the Tribunal’s decisions. “None of the people involved in the Tribunal was coming to rule any constituency in Abuja; they were coming to rule local governments in Benue State, so they must have the support of the people of the state,” he argued.
Despite the controversy, Ebute stressed his commitment to ensuring proper legal procedures, noting that in his nearly 80 years, he had never seen such a transfer of Tribunal sittings for local government elections. He urged the relevant authorities to move the Tribunal back to Makurdi to allow the proceedings to conclude within the legally stipulated timeframe.
“There is no law backing this relocation. So on that ground, we will not attend sittings in Abuja,” Ebute asserted.
Regarding the temporary suspension of Tribunal proceedings, Ebute noted that the process must remain on hold until a competent court rules on the matter, adding that duly sworn-in local government chairmen would continue performing their duties until the Tribunal’s final decision.
On the ongoing leadership crisis within the Benue chapter of the APC, Ebute confirmed that the party’s National Secretariat had constituted a seven-man Caretaker Committee led by Chief Benjamin Omale. However, he noted that a faction led by former Chairman Austin Agada refused to recognize the new leadership.
Ebute emphasized that the APC Primary Election conducted by Omale was the one recognized by the Benue State Government, dismissing Agada’s faction as not having conducted any legitimate election. He accused Agada and his supporters of resisting the governor’s leadership instead of cooperating for the state’s progress.
Ebute further clarified that the National Party leadership no longer recognized Agada as the State Chairman and that Agada’s ongoing legal battles lacked popular support. “Austin Agada still insists that he is the Chairman of the Benue State APC, but he is only supported by a powerful person in Abuja,” he claimed.
Turning to the issue of the removal of Justice Ikpambese, Ebute reaffirmed that the State House of Assembly’s resolution was legally executed in accordance with Section 292 of the 1999 Constitution, which grants a State House of Assembly the authority to remove a Chief Judge by a two-thirds majority. He stressed that Justice Ikpambese’s removal followed due process after allegations of misconduct, and therefore, he no longer served as the Chief Judge of Benue State.
Regarding the factional dispute within the APC, Ebute stated that the people’s support for a party leader holds more weight than any court ruling. “Once the people say you are the holder of the office, then it confers legitimacy on you,” he said.
On the prospects of reconciliation within the Benue APC, Ebute noted that party leadership conventions dictate that the sitting governor becomes the party’s leader in the state. He pointed out that the faction led by Agada was instigated by some elements within Makurdi and was not aligned with the governor’s policies.
Ebute also expressed confidence in Governor Alia’s leadership despite the party’s internal conflicts. He praised the governor’s efforts, citing improvements in infrastructure, salary payments, and the payment of outstanding gratuities. “Governor Alia is providing roads, paying salaries on the 25th of every month, and addressing pension issues,” he said.
Regarding Governor Alia’s prospects for re-election in 2027, Ebute expressed confidence in the governor’s continued popularity. “If Governor Alia comes out as a candidate, I don’t see any demi-god that can stop him,” he declared, emphasizing that the governor’s performance had earned him the support of the people of Benue State.
