A Makurdi-based Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Tony Ijohor, has asked the Benue Chief Judge, Justice Iorhemen Hwande, to imprison the state’s Attorney-General, Mr Philip Ierkwagh, for contempt of court.
Ijohor urged the court to also commit the Special Adviser to Governor on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Mr Solomon Wombo, to prison for same reason.
He made these submission on Monday when he moved a motion brought by a member of the House of Assembly, Mr Benjamin Adanyi, against Gov. Gabriel Suswam and eight others.
Adanyi challenged the passage of Benue State Council of Chiefs and Traditional Councils Bill/Law by the assembly on April 7, 2015.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalled that the court had on May 4, restrained Suswam and his agents from appointing first class chiefs in the state.
Joined in the matter were Tor Tiv, the Och’Idoma, the Bureau of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs as well as the Benue State House of Assembly.
Counsel for the applicants, Mr T D Pepe, had on May 4 moved the motion for stay of execution of the law, adding that the respondents had put machinery in place to implement the contents of a law.
Pepe then prayed the court to stop the respondents from appointing any person to the office of the 10 proposed first class chiefs in Benue pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice in the case.
NAN reports that the court granted the motion by restraining the respondents or their agents from appointing or taking any step toward the appointment of any person to the office of the 10 proposed first class chiefs in Benue.
Hwande directed that the implementation of the law be stayed pending the hearing of the motion on May 11, and warned respondents that disobedience of the court orders amounted to contempt of court.
Ijohor informed the court that all the respondents in the case were dully served but chose to disobey the court orders by appointing six first class chiefs in the Tiv Traditional Area Council.
Ijohor, who was therefore seeking to undo what the Tiv Traditional Council had purportedly done, filed a contempt proceeding against the Attorney-General and the adviser.
The court, however, adjourned the matter till May 15, for hearing of the motion.
