A coalition of civil society organisations (CSOs) on Monday converged on Abuja, demanding that the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, intervenes in the alleged abuse of office and disregard for court process by the embattled Chief Judge of Benue State, Justice Maurice Ikpambese, and Justice M. M. Adamu of the FCT High Court.
The coalition called for urgent action against what they described as a gross violation of judicial ethics and due process in the handling of the Benue State Local Government Election Tribunal.
Recall that Justice M. M. Adamu of the FCT High Court had ordered the Benue State Local Government Election Petitions Tribunal to sit in Abuja to hear and determine all petitions arising from the October 5, 2024, local government elections.
Maurice Ikpembese, the Chief Judge of Benue State, had ordered the relocation of the tribunal from Makurdi to the Nigeria Bar Association House, Abuja, over alleged insecurity.
The protesters, who wielded several placards with various inscriptions bordering on the integrity of some judges, said, “Nigeria’s democracy is in a clear danger and the Honourable Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, must save it”.
Addressing journalists, Chief Convener of the coalition, Comrade Igwe Ude-Umanta, said the court of law is supposed to be the arbiter of justice where the constitution is interpreted without bias, but that the reverse is the case.
Ude-Umanta explained that they are here to submit a petition against Justice Maurice Ikpambese and Justice M. M Adamu who by their actions have converted the title of justice to injustice.
He said: “We demand urgent intervention of Hon. Justice Kekere-ekun, we demand intervention of Mr. President and we demand that NJC called its members involved in the ongoing crisis to order in the interest of peace and justice in Benue State.
“The strength of every democracy is the judiciary. The court of law is supposed to be the arbiter of justice where the constitution is interpreted without bias, but today, the reverse is the case. The court in Nigeria has become more politicised than registered political parties.
“How on earth could a Chief Judge of a state fragrantly abuse his office by flaunting the state laws and the National Judicial Council (NJC) is quiet? Justice Maurice Ikpambese, the Chief Judge of Benue State, unilaterally granted a waiver to petitioners of Local Government Election Tribunal not to pay security deposit, a constitutional prerequisite for any valid petition and he is not been sanctioned.
“On the strength of the refusal of the NJC to punish him, he again violated the Electoral Laws of Benue State when he relocated the Local Government Elections Petition Tribunal to Abuja which is clearly off territorial jurisdiction in clear violation of the Benue State Electoral Law, yet the NJC is just watching.
“In an attempt to protect the constitution of Nigeria and the laws of Benue State, the Attorney General of Benue State approached the Federal High Court sitting in Makurdi which granted an order restraining the tribunal from sitting anywhere outside Benue State including the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) House, Abuja. This order was granted on the 7th of March 2025 to the admiration of Nigerians.
“Surprisingly, on Friday 14th March 2025, an FCT High Court 34 presided by Justice M.M Adamu frivolously issued another order compelling the Benue State Local Government Election Tribunal to conduct sitting in Abuja and particularly at the NBA House.
“The question is, can the Benue State laws be apply in the FCT or any other state other than Benue State? If the answer is NO, it is also clear that the Benue State Local Government Election Tribunal cannot sit outside Benue State.”
Ude-Umanta further said: “We are here today to submit a petition against Justice Maurice Ikpambese and Justice M. M Adamu who by their actions have converted the title of justice to injustice.
“The burden behoove on the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Honourable Justice Kudirat Kekereke-Ekum to expunge corrupt judges off the Nigerian judiciary in order to restore the integrity of the judiciary.”
