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The 23 suspended Local Government Chairmen in Benue State will retain their offices as the State High Court rejected the motion submitted by Governor Reverend Father Hyacinth Iormem Alia for a judicial review. The chairmen had filed a suit against the governor, arguing that it was unconstitutional for him to suspend them before the expiration of their tenures. The National Industrial Court had ruled in favor of the chairmen and restrained the government from dissolving or suspending them. The Chief Judge of the State rejected the governor’s application for a review, advising them to appeal instead.
The 23 Local Government Chairmen in Benue State who were suspended will remain in their positions as the State Governor, Reverend Father Hyacinth Iormem Alia’s motion for a judicial review of the ruling of the National Industrial Court (NIC) has been rejected.
Governor Alia had requested the State High Court to invalidate the judgment obtained by the suspended Local Government (LG) chairmen from the Makurdi Division of the National Industrial Court.
The suspended chairmen had filed a lawsuit against the governor, claiming that it was unconstitutional for him to suspend them before the expiration of their tenures on June 29, 2024.
Judge Innocent Essien of the National Industrial Court, Makurdi Division, issued a restraining order against the defendants, including the Governor, the Benue State Government, the Speaker of the State Assembly, and three others, preventing them from dissolving or suspending the elected Council Chairmen without due process before their tenure ended.
However, Governor Alia, the Benue State Government, the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, and three others were not satisfied with the ruling and filed an application seeking a judicial review of the court’s decision.
Chief Judge Justice Maurice Ikpambese rejected the application, stating that it lacked merit and that a court can only review the judgment of a court of the same level if the judgment is a nullity or obtained fraudulently. He advised the applicants to appeal the decision at the Appeal Court.
The suspended chairmen had also filed a suit before the High Court Judge challenging their suspension, but the court ruled that the same reliefs sought were already granted by the National Industrial Court and could not be reviewed.
Chairman Orjiir Gbajde of Kwande Local Government council hailed the High Court’s decision as a significant victory for democracy.
Since taking office, Governor Alia has implemented various measures to promote transparency and address the shortcomings of past administrations. This includes suspending heads of government establishments and parastatals, setting up committees to investigate and audit their accounts, and freezing bank accounts of the affected establishments. He has also been critical of past administrations for mismanaging public properties and has made unannounced visits to government offices to assess their condition.
Despite spending nearly three months in office, Governor Alia has yet to make major appointments, leading to mixed reactions among the people of the state. His efforts to recover looted assets, such as seizing vehicles from the previous governor, Samuel Ortom, have also garnered attention.
