By Jude Opara, Abuja
As concerns continue to mount over the role of the judiciary in the delivery of justice, a coalition of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) has charged the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun quickly put in place measures to save the judiciary by reforming it.
The coalition made the appeal on Monday at the #Save Nigerian judiciary rally in Abuja.
Addressing newsmen at the rally, Chief Convener, Comrade Igwe Ude-Umanta said as concerned Nigerians who believe in the rule of law, they are deeply worried that the judiciary is in a clear danger, hence the urgent need for Justice Kekere-Ekun to do something to salvage the situation.
Ude-Umanta further argued that the strength of every democracy is the judiciary, expressing fears that the trend in Nigeria where the judiciary is being perceived as biased in most cases is capable of derailing country’s fledging democracy.
“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 politicized than registered political parties”.
The coalition specifically referred to the development in Benue state where the Chief Judge of the state allegedly acted in clear disregard to laws of the state by unilaterally granting a waver to petitioners of Local Government Election Tribunal, not to pay security deposit which is a constitutional matter.
According to the coalition, the failure of the NJC to sanction him, further emboldened him to relocate the Local Government Elections Petition Tribunal to Abuja which is off territorial jurisdiction.
“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 waver 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 other 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 can not sit outside Benue State”.
The coalition which also submitted a petition against Justice M.M Adamu and Justice Maurice Ikpambese and Justice urged the CJN to remove corrupt judges from the Nigerian judiciary.
“The burden behooves on the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Honourable Justice Kudirat Kekereke-Ekun to expunge corrupt judges off the Nigerian judiciary in other to restore the integrity of the judiciary”.
The group equally frowned at the seeming meddlesomeness of the Supreme Court when it decided on the issue of defected members of the Rivers State HI House of Assembly, even when the matter is still pending at the Court of Appeal.
“The judgment of the Supreme Court has been criticized by the 11- Man Independent Judicial Accountability panel headed by a retired Justice Mojeed Omoade”.
The coalition also raised the alarm over the alleged plans by some powerful Benue politicians based in Abuja to arrest and detain protesters against the relocation of the Benue State Local Government Election Tribunal to Abuja, despite being a clear violation of the Electoral laws of the state.
