Former Chairman of the Projects Development Institute (PRODA), Enugu, and 2023 APC Senatorial Candidate for Benue South, Comrade Daniel Onjeh, has called on the National Judicial Council (NJC) to immediately intervene in what he described as “judicial sabotage” targeting the administration of Benue State Governor, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia.
In a statement issued Tuesday in Abuja, Onjeh alleged that recent rulings by the Benue State Local Government Election Petition Tribunals were part of a coordinated attempt to use the judiciary to destabilize Alia’s government and hijack local governance through the backdoor.
“The NJC must not remain silent. It must intervene now, just as it did when it protected the Chief Judge of Benue State from removal by the governor,” Onjeh said.
“If the NJC could act swiftly to preserve the office of the Chief Judge, then it must equally act to protect the mandate of the duly elected local government chairmen and preserve the integrity of the electoral process.”
Onjeh questioned the legal basis of several tribunal decisions that nullified APC victories in nine out of 23 local government areas.
He accused the Benue Chief Judge, Justice Maurice Ikpambese, of judicial overreach for allegedly granting unlawful waivers for petitioners who failed to meet legal prerequisites, particularly the mandatory security deposit required by Section 76 of the Benue State Local Government Electoral Law.
“The law says clearly: if security is not given at the time of filing the petition, there shall be no further proceedings. The word ‘shall’ in law is not a suggestion. it is a command,” Onjeh stressed.
He also raised concerns over the relocation of the tribunal sittings from Makurdi to Abuja, a move he described as unconstitutional and suspicious. “This relocation was done without the consent of the respondents, and contrary to Section 83 of the Benue State Electoral Law which mandates open court trials,” Onjeh said,
He added that “NBA House in Abuja is not a courtroom, and has no legal standing under our laws.”
According to Onjeh, the explanation that security concerns necessitated the relocation is unfounded.
“Even at the height of insurgency in the North East, no tribunal was relocated. Why then is Benue being treated differently when there is no real threat to peace in Makurdi?” he queried.
He warned that the actions of the tribunals and the Appeal Panel could have dire long-term consequences if allowed to stand.
“The Appeal Panel’s decision will either preserve democracy or set fire to the rule of law in Benue. If it affirms these rulings and installs candidates who never contested elections, it would be a judicial coup; worthy of the Guinness Book of Records,” he said.
Onjeh alleged that internal party actors within the APC who failed to secure nominations were behind the legal onslaught, using technicalities and intra-party grievances disguised as post-election disputes.
“Tribunals are meant to resolve inter-party electoral disputes, not settle personal grudges among party members who didn’t even contest the election,” he said.
He also pointed to a growing suspicion that national-level political players were influencing the process, warning that the NJC’s silence could be interpreted as complicity.
“When the NJC chooses to look the other way while the judiciary is weaponized against a sitting governor, it damages the very institution it is supposed to protect,” he warned.
Onjeh likened the situation to the biblical judgment of King Solomon: “The anti-Alia elements are like the false mother, willing to divide the child—Benue State—just to achieve their selfish aims.”
He alleged that the Chief Judge of Benue State did not only exceed his powers but also undermined the legislative authority of the Benue State House of Assembly.
“After constituting the tribunal, the Chief Judge became functus officio. He had no further legal authority to interfere. His actions were ultra vires,” Onjeh maintained.
Citing Section 205 of the 1999 Constitution, Onjeh defended the Benue Assembly’s earlier attempt to recommend Justice Ikpambese’s removal and criticized the NJC for blocking the process.
“Governor Alia acted within the Constitution. But the NJC’s warning against appointing an acting Chief Judge smacks of double standards,” he argued.
He concluded by warning that the judiciary is being used as part of a three-pronged strategy to bring down the Alia administration. First through the legislature, second through the blockage of federal allocations, and now, through judicial manipulations.
“This is no longer politics, it is sabotage, and the NJC must act. If it fails to rise to this responsibility, it risks eroding the last vestige of trust Nigerians have in the judiciary,” Onjeh stated.
He called on the NJC to investigate all issues relating to the ruling and take action as soon as possible.