Rita Odafe
Justice Tertsea Asue from Makurdi High Court has refused a request from the former governor of Benue, Samuel Ortom, to appeal against a previous ruling.
The court dismissed Ortom’s application to halt Gov. Hyacinth Alia’s investigation and rejected a request for a halt in proceedings pending the outcome of the main case.
The case is scheduled for a hearing on the motion and notice for the main lawsuit.
Ortom’s counsel filed for permission to appeal the decision that overturned the earlier order and motion to stay the proceedings.
Counsel representing the 7th, 8th, and 9th respondents opposed the application, stating that there was no basis for an appeal as there was no valid case before the court.
Arguments focused on the importance of jurisdiction in legal proceedings and the need for the court to address preliminary objections raised by the respondents.
Following submissions from the respondents’ counsel, the court ordered Ortom to proceed with his request for an extension of time to file for a judicial review and set a date for a decision on this matter.
The proceedings arose after Ortom challenged the competent authority of the state government, Attorney General, and commission of inquiry to scrutinize his administration’s finances.
Alia had initiated two panels in February to investigate the financial management of the state under Ortom’s administration.
Ortom contended that the state’s Auditor-General had already audited the accounts as required by the constitution and questioned the need for another investigation.
He highlighted that the same issues were being reviewed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), expressing concern over double scrutiny by different bodies.
