.jpg)
A coalition of civil society organizations (CSOs) staged a peaceful protest in Abuja on Monday, calling for action against the alleged politicization of the judiciary in Nigeria.
The demonstrators carried banners with messages such as “Enough of crooked court orders,” “We want independence of the judiciary,” “NJC must act now,” and “Corrupt judges must be expunged from the system now.” They marched from the Federal Secretariat complex to the Court of Appeal to express their concerns over what they described as judicial misconduct.
Comrade Igwe Ude-Umanta, the Chief Convener of the coalition, submitted a petition to the National Judicial Council (NJC), citing controversial court rulings in Benue and Rivers states as examples of alleged politically motivated judgments.
The protesters criticized Benue State Chief Judge, Justice Maurice Ikpambese, and Justice M. M. Adamu of the Abuja High Court, accusing them of undermining justice. They called on Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, and the NJC to take decisive action against corrupt judicial officers to restore public confidence in the legal system.
The coalition also appealed to President Bola Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) leadership to intervene in Benue State to prevent further instability.
Highlighting their grievances, they questioned why the NJC had not sanctioned Justice Ikpambese for allegedly granting waivers that contravened judicial regulations. They further accused him of relocating the Benue State Local Government Election Tribunal to Abuja, violating electoral laws.
Referring to a March 7, 2025, Federal High Court ruling in Makurdi that barred the tribunal from sitting outside Benue, the protesters condemned a subsequent March 14 ruling by Justice M.M. Adamu of the FCT High Court, which they claimed contradicted the law by permitting the tribunal to sit in Abuja.
“The question is, can Benue State laws be applied in the FCT or any other state outside Benue? If the answer is no, then the Local Government Election Tribunal cannot sit outside Benue,” they asserted.
The group also took issue with a Supreme Court ruling regarding the leadership crisis in the Rivers State House of Assembly, arguing that it intervened in an unresolved legal matter. Citing the findings of the Independent Judicial Accountability Panel, led by retired Justice Mojeed Omoade, they emphasized the need for politicians to refrain from interfering with judicial proceedings.
They further urged the government to respect court rulings and uphold citizens’ rights, referencing the Federal Government’s failure to implement the ECOWAS Court’s judgment awarding damages to victims of the October 2020 EndSARS protests.
Calling for urgent action, the coalition warned that judicial integrity in Benue was at risk, alleging that certain petitioners lacked the legal standing to approach the tribunal in the first place. They urged President Tinubu to act swiftly to prevent further erosion of the rule of law in the country.
Post A Comment: