The Benue State High Court presided over by the Chief Judge, Justice Iorhemen Hwande, has restrained the Governor of Benue State and eight others from appointing first class chiefs in the state.
Ruling on a motion in a case filed by Professor Tony Ijohor, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, for the plaintiff, Barrister Benjamin Adanyi, Mr Justice Hwande today granted the four reliefs sought by the plaintiff.
The Chief Judge ordered the respondents by themselves or through their agents from giving effect to the Benue State Council of Chiefs and Traditional Councils Bill/Law passed by the Benue State House of Assembly on 7th April, 2015 pending the determination of the motion on notice.
He also restrained the respondents or their agents from appointing or taking any step towards the appointment of any person to the office of the 10 proposed 1st class chiefs in Benue State or such office by whatever name called.
Other orders of the court include putting the respondents on notice that disobedience of the orders contained therein amounts to contempt of court and would attract sanctions from the court.
Mr Justice Hwande directed that action on the implementation of the said law is to be stayed pending the hearing of the motion on notice.
The respondents include the Tor Tiv, the Och’Idoma, the Bureau of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs as well as the Benue State House of Assembly.
Moving the motion, Mr T D Pepe had prayed for the orders and informed the court that the respondents have put in place a machinery to implement the contents of a law that has not been properly or validly passed.
He urged the court to consider the 34 paragraph affidavit deposed by Barrister Adanyi, a member of the Benue State House of Assembly, and grant the motions.
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