Benue LG Election Appeal Tribunal inaugurated amid relocation controversy

The Benue State Local Government Election Appeal Tribunal has been officially inaugurated to review appeals stemming from the rulings of the Local Government Election Petitions Tribunal.

Now sitting in Abuja, the tribunal is chaired by Justice Dennis Igyuse, with Justices Michael Ugar and Maimuna Ikwulono serving as members.

This development comes as the original tribunal prepares to issue judgments in several notable local government election cases. The Appeal Tribunal is tasked with addressing petitions filed by aggrieved parties unhappy with the earlier decisions, especially those connected to the disputed local government polls conducted on October 5, 2024.

The relocation of the tribunal’s activities from Makurdi to Abuja in March 2025 triggered backlash, including protests and legal opposition. The move was reportedly influenced by rising security threats and a judiciary staff strike in Benue State.

Although the Federal High Court in Makurdi initially barred the tribunal from sitting in Abuja, a later interim order from the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory cleared the way for the appeal proceedings to continue in the capital.