Benue LG Election Tribunal Reserves Judgment in Petitions from Ukum, Katsina-Ala, Logo, and Otukpo

The Benue State Local Government Election Petition Tribunal, currently sitting at the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) House in Abuja, has reserved judgment in the petitions challenging the outcomes of the October 5, 2024, local government elections in Ukum, Katsina-Ala, Logo, and Otukpo Local Government Areas.

According to the tribunal, judgment will be delivered on dates to be communicated to all parties involved.

During its sitting on Saturday, April 5, 2025, the Zone A Panel 1, presided over by Justice Ityonyiman, concluded hearings in the petitions from Ukum, Katsina-Ala, and Logo LGAs by adopting the final written addresses submitted by the respective legal teams.

Similarly, the Benue South (Zone C) panel also adopted final written addresses in the petition concerning the Otukpo LGA election, signaling the end of the hearing phase for that case.

These developments follow weeks of controversy surrounding the conduct of the elections and the tribunal’s activities.

The relocation of the tribunal from Makurdi to Abuja in March 2025, due to security concerns and an ongoing judiciary staff strike, was met with protests and legal resistance from some stakeholders.

Although the Federal High Court in Makurdi initially halted the tribunal’s proceedings in Abuja, the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory later issued an interim order allowing the sittings to continue.