My Hands Are Clean! Gov Alia Dismisses Claims OF Sponsoring Anti-CJ Demonstrations

On Monday, hundreds of protesters from Benue marched through the streets of Abuja, moving from the National Assembly to the Supreme Court, expressing their displeasure with the Chief Judge’s decision. Justice Ikpembese had, on March 5, ordered the tribunal’s relocation, citing security concerns.

The Benue State Government, through the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice and Public Order, Fidelis Mnyim, criticized the CJ’s decision, emphasizing that neither the governor nor his office had been officially informed about the move.

However, in an interview with Punch on Monday, Kula Tersoo, the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Alia, dismissed claims that the government sponsored the protest.

“How can the government sponsor a protest when people are well-informed, read the news, and understand how court cases can become politicized?” Tersoo questioned.

He further stressed that the state government has no interest in protests, stating, “The government gains nothing from sponsoring a demonstration. Instead, it is focused on directing resources toward infrastructure development in Benue.”

Tersoo also criticized the Benue CJ, stating, “It is unfortunate that the Chief Judge went public, selecting certain individuals to sit on the election petition tribunal.”