Court Halts Ortom’s ‘Impeachment’

A Makurdi High Court presided over by Justice Theresa Igoche has restrained the eight suspended members of the Benue State House of Assembly from proceeding with the impeachment process they initiated against Governor Samuel Ortom.

The judge also restrained the impeached Speaker Terkimbi Ikyange-led faction from sitting and upheld their suspension pending the determination of the Motion on Notice.

“I agree with the Senior Advocate of Nigeria that the applicants have made out a case for the grant of orders sought therein,” she stressed.

“The order also restrains the Chief Judge of Benue state from receiving or acting on any process or request, issued pursuant to the purported sitting, proceedings and resolutions of 30th July, 2018 aimed at or commenced for the purpose of removing the Governor of the State pending the determination of the Motion on Notice.”

Justice Igoche upheld the subsisting order that was earlier given by the Chief Judge of the state, Justice Adam Onum restraining the former speaker, Terkimbi Ikyange, and other former principal officers from parading as same and ordered the security agencies to vacate the premises of the Benue State house of Assembly.

Responding, state Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Michael Gusa, applauded the ruling saying as a law abiding government, they will always seek redress in the law courts.

Also speaking, Sebastian Hon SAN, who appeared on behalf of the plaintiffs alongside over 20 lawyers, described the ruling as sound and promised to abide by the orders of the court.

Speaker of the assembly, Honourable Titus Uba, said with the order, they expect the police and other security agencies to vacate the premises and stop interfering in their legislative business maintaining that even the president of the country has denied link to their continued occupation of the assembly complex.

The applicants had on July 31, approached the court seeking eight reliefs amongst which were interim order restraining the suspended eight members from sitting, proceeding and or acting in furtherance to the impeachment and the Chief Judge from acting on their request.