Benue Assembly Seeks Supreme Court’s Intervention In CJ’s Removal

Benue Assembly Seeks Supreme Court’s Intervention In CJ’s Removal

The Benue State House of Assembly has passed a resolution to approach the Supreme Court for the interpretation of section 292 ( 1) A (11) as it pertains to the removal of a Chief Judge.

The Majority Leader of the House, Saater Tiseer, during the plenary on Friday, described as an aberration for the state assembly to secure a two-third majority vote in support of the recommendation to remove the state Chief Judge, Justice Maurice Ikpambese, on February 18, 2025, but to receive criticism later.

Recall that the Benue State Assembly had passed a recommendation for the removal of the state CJ based on alleged misconduct and abuse of office.

The recommendation had received condemnation from the Senate, Nigeria Bar Association, the National Judicial Council and other groups.

However, pushing his motion, Tiseer explained that bill before the House of Representatives which passed for second reading on Wednesday, March, 26, 2025 ‘a bill to give the National Judicial Council a role in the removal of a Chief judge’ had vindicated the Benue State House of Assembly.

He said, “The bill by the National Assembly means that the NJC currently has no role in the removal of the Chief Judge as clearly stated in section 292 (1) a (11) of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended.”

The House, which was presided over by the Speaker, Hyacinth Dajoh, agreed to approach the apex court immediately for a proper interpretation of the section of the constitution empowering it to recommend the removal of the Chief Judge to further put to rest the controversies surrounding its action.