Counsels representing over 400 respondents at the Benue State Local Government Election Petition Tribunal have called for an adjournment due to escalating security concerns.
The tribunal was scheduled to commence sittings across the state’s three senatorial districts on Monday. However, in separate letters, prominent legal figures including Mathew Burkaa, SAN, Mohammed N Mohammed, SAN, and S.I Ameh, SAN, representing the respondents for Zones A, B, and C, have formally requested the adjournment citing safety concerns for their teams and clients.
The letters, which were made available to journalists in Makurdi, Benue State’s capital, outlined the increasing security risks surrounding the tribunal’s operations. One of the letters, titled “Re: Notice of Tribunal Sitting and Our Grievous Security Concerns,” referenced a recent notification from the tribunal’s secretary, Awuhe Msughter Emmanuel, who had informed Zone B counsels of a change in the sitting schedule. The original date for February 21, 2025, was shifted to February 24, 2025.
The counsel raised alarms about the tense security situation that had developed around the court premises and across the state in recent days, expressing fears for the safety of their legal teams and clients if the sitting proceeded as scheduled.
In response, Mathew Burkaa SAN, representing 294 respondents from Zone B, requested that the tribunal postpone the sitting until adequate security measures were in place to ensure the safety of all parties involved.
“We shall be graciously delighted if our request is given immediate and adequate due consideration,” the letter concluded, urging the tribunal to reschedule the sitting for a later date when security concerns could be fully addressed.
