Panel A of the Benue Local Government Election Petition Tribunal, currently sitting in Abuja, has postponed hearings to March 24 to consider motions challenging its jurisdiction.
Despite a Federal High Court ruling in Makurdi directing the tribunal to return to Benue for its proceedings, it has continued its sittings in Abuja. The tribunal is divided into three panels—A, B, and C—each handling petitions from different senatorial zones to ensure faster adjudication.
Justice Augusten Choyinman presides over Panel A, while Justices Egoh and M.M. Odinya lead Panels B and C, respectively. During the latest session, Choyinman granted an adjournment following a request from Mohammed Ndarani (SAN), counsel for the 1st respondent, who sought more time to respond to jurisdictional challenges.
Ndarani informed the tribunal that he had just received a counter-affidavit that morning and needed additional time to review it. He also pointed out that case files for Ukum, Logo, and Katsina Ala local governments, which fall under Panel A’s jurisdiction, were still in Makurdi. The tribunal subsequently directed the parties to retrieve the necessary documents and set March 24 as the new hearing date.
One of the key disputes before the tribunal involves internal divisions within the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Benue. A faction led by Augustine Agada claims victory in the local government elections, while candidates associated with another APC group, led by Omale Benjamin, were officially declared winners. This has fueled political tensions, with concerns over the legitimacy of those currently holding chairmanship and councillorship positions.
The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has also filed petitions challenging the election results, citing alleged irregularities and corrupt practices. The party is demanding the annulment of the entire election due to what it describes as widespread electoral malpractices.
Additionally, there is a pending motion seeking the recusal of all tribunal members from the proceedings. The tribunal is handling petitions from 23 chairmanship candidates and 276 councillorship aspirants, all of whom were screened by the Agada-led APC faction and are contesting the legitimacy of the officials declared winners by the Omale Benjamin-led caretaker committee.
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