Today, on my instructions, my lawyers instituted legal proceedings at the High Court of Benue in Makurdi against the governor of Benue, Father Hyacinth Alia, (along with 4 others: the state attorney-general; speaker of House of Assembly; the House of Assembly; and the special adviser, Bureau of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs as the 5 respondents) marked suit number MHC/347/2023, for sacking (indefinitely suspending) all elected local government officials exactly 4 months ago today, on 23 June, leaving the local government system—which is the most critical tier of government, being closest to the people—rudderless with no executive or legislative councils and no governance going on at all.
It would be recalled that on 15 June, the National Industrial Court in Makurdi ordered the respondents against suspending the 23 local government chairmen of the state, but out of impunity and outright disregard for the law, the respondents flouted the direct order of the court and not only suspended the chairmen but the entire local government executive and legislative councils.
