Benue in turmoil: Tribunal scandal erupts as Chief Judge faces mass protest threat

The Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) and the Coalition of National Civil Society Organisations (CNCSOs) have raised alarm over what they described as a judicial conspiracy by the Chief Judge of Benue State, Justice Maurice Ikpambese, to hijack the Local Government Election Petition Appeals Tribunal for political ends.

In a joint statement by CNPP’s Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Comrade James Ezema, and CNCSOs National Secretary, Alhaji Ali Abacha, the groups alleged that Justice Ikpambese masterminded the removal of Justice Maimuna Ikwulono from the tribunal for insisting on judicial neutrality.

They claimed her replacement, Justice Mohammed, was part of a larger plot to install loyalists and overturn elected mandates.

The groups accused the Chief Judge of colluding with the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Dr. George Akume, to undermine Governor Hyacinth Alia.

According to them, the deal allegedly includes a promise of a senatorial ticket for Ikpambese in return for destabilising the Governor’s local government support base.

So far, four of seven LG chairmen in Zone A have been removed, while no such action has been taken in Zone B — a pattern the groups say reveals targeted political cleansing.

A viral video allegedly shows Justice Ikpambese at a political meeting, speaking in Tiv about plans to frustrate Alia using tribunal influence. The groups also criticised the hasty constitution of a last-minute panel that produced controversial rulings, including replacing elected officials with candidates who never contested.

The CNPP and CNCSOs warned: “If this manipulation doesn’t stop, we’ll occupy the NJC headquarters until Justice Ikpambese is removed.”

They called on the NJC to intervene urgently, saying, “The judiciary must never be reduced to a political weapon.”