The Benue Equity and Justice Movement has urged the judiciary to ensure transparency and impartiality in the pending case challenging former Attorney-General of the Federation, Chief Michael Kaase Aondoakaa’s eligibility to contest the 2027 Benue governorship election.
The group made the appeal in a statement signed by its General Secretary, Kingsley Asema, and made available to journalists in Makurdi on Thursday.
It alleged that there were attempts by Aondoakaa and some unnamed legal actors to influence the outcome of the case ahead of the judgment scheduled for November 16, 2026.
The group claimed it had received information about alleged meetings involving the former minister and certain individuals concerning the pending litigation.
However, it did not provide independently verifiable evidence to support the allegations.
Efforts to obtain a reaction from Aondoakaa’s Media Consultant, Dr Terver Akase, were unsuccessful, as he neither answered phone calls nor responded to WhatsApp messages sent to him.
The movement called on the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court and the Chief Justice of Nigeria to ensure that the case is handled strictly in accordance with the law and evidence presented before the court.
It described the proceedings as an important test of public confidence in the judiciary, particularly amid the controversy surrounding Aondoakaa’s eligibility to contest the 2027 governorship election.
The controversy is linked to previous court proceedings involving Aondoakaa, who served as Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice under the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua.
The group cited a June 1, 2010 judgment of the Court of Appeal, Calabar Division, which upheld findings concerning Aondoakaa’s conduct in office, including declarations relating to the rule of law, administration of justice and the integrity of the judiciary.
It also referred to a Supreme Court decision delivered on December 10, 2021, which it said affirmed the earlier judgments.
However, the legal implications of those decisions for Aondoakaa’s eligibility to contest the 2027 Benue governorship election remain among the issues to be determined in the pending case.
The dispute has also attracted other political and legal interventions.
In September, the governorship candidate of the Allied People’s Movement (APM), Damian Adagba, reportedly approached the court seeking an order directing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to remove Aondoakaa’s name from its portal as the PDP governorship candidate.
In a separate suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2152/2026, David Ejembi, Aondoaver Teryila, Joseph Okpanachi and Benedict Akaazua Orkume also sued INEC, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Aondoakaa before the Federal High Court, Abuja.
The plaintiffs are seeking to restrain the former minister from presenting himself as the PDP governorship candidate.
After hearing arguments from counsel representing the parties, the court adjourned the matter until November 16, 2026, for judgment.
The forthcoming judgment is expected to address the legal questions surrounding Aondoakaa’s eligibility and may have significant implications for the PDP’s preparations ahead of the 2027 Benue governorship election.
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