Benue State Government defends removal of state chief judge

Benue State Government says it has disposed of the Chief Judge of the State Maurice Ikpambese as his alleged sins and malfeasance have since been forwarded to National Judicial Council NJC for adjudication and discipline as enshrined in Section 153(1)(i) of the 1999 constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria (as amended).

It therefore advised the embattled judge to gather his facts and prepare to defend himself at the National Judicial Council rather than attending public functions to misinform the people, as doing so may worsen his already battered image and further expose him and the revered office he hitherto held to public ridicule.

The state government was reacting to a viral video on social media by the former Chief Judge saying that he the (CJ) tried unsuccessfully to divert the attention of unsuspecting worshipers and by extension, the people of the state from the grievous allegations leveled against him, necessitating the Benue State House of Assembly to pass a resolution allowing Governor, Hyacinth Alia to remove him as the Chief Judge.

In a statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor Tersoo Kula, the government said it found it very curious for a Judicial Officer of his standing to take to the gallery to publicly peddle falsehood and implore the use of blackmail against the administration of Hyacinth Alia in defense of the recent action by the State House of Assembly.

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Kula noted that the fact that Ikpambese chose to speak publicly on the matter speaks volumes of the kind of Judicial Officer he is.

He said the former CJ went further in that video to expose himself when he stated that he actually selected justices that will be difficult for them.

While acknowledging that Ikpambese is entitled to express himself freely, Kula said he was baffled that instead of speaking to the very weighty allegations of misappropriation and mismanagement of budgetary allocations and finances of the State Judiciary to the tune of over Six Hundred Million Naira, abuse of office by issuing a directive to overturn the State Electoral Law passed by the State House of Assembly and assented to by the Governor of the State and engagement with politicians and political office holders for favorable judicial outcomes, he went on the loose to mislead, misinform and deceive his listeners to weep up cheap sympathy.

The governor ‘s spokesman said the Benue State government is still strong in its opinion that the State Lawmakers acted in the overall interest of the State and in line with Section 292(1)(a) (ii) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria which provides that a Chief Judge may only be disposed of by the Governor, acting on an address supported by two-thirds of the House of Assembly.

(Editor: Okechukwu Eze)