The Benue State government and the Centre for Judicial Integrity (CJI) are at loggerheads over allegations that the state allocated N500 million to bribe the National Judicial Council (NJC) to influence proceedings on the removal of the state’s Chief Judge, Justice Maurice Ikpambese.
The CJI ignited the controversy yesterday when its convener, Solomon Adodo, called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to probe the alleged misappropriation of funds. Addressing journalists in Abuja, Adodo claimed that some Benue State officials had been making frequent visits to Abuja in a bid to compromise NJC officials.
He further linked the prolonged judiciary workers’ strike in Benue—ongoing since December 2024—to the government’s failure to implement the new N75,000 minimum wage for judicial employees. According to him, the alleged bribery attempt underscores a deeper problem of political interference in the judiciary, which threatens its independence and credibility.
In a swift reaction, Governor Hyacinth Alia’s Chief Press Secretary, Tersoo Kula, dismissed the allegations as baseless, labeling them a ploy by disgruntled political elements in Abuja to undermine the governor’s integrity.
“We strongly refute the groundless claims generated by the Centre for Judicial Integrity (CJI) about Governor Hyacinth Alia’s alleged involvement in buying off members of the judiciary,” Kula stated. “If the CJI and their allies have any evidence to bolster their outrageous claims, we challenge them to produce it publicly or face the consequences of their thoughtless denunciations.”
Kula insisted that Governor Alia holds the judiciary in high regard and would never attempt to compromise its integrity. He described the allegations as politically motivated, asserting that Benue State remains stable under the governor’s leadership.
Meanwhile, the CJI urged anti-corruption agencies to launch a thorough and transparent investigation into the allegations, emphasizing the need for the NJC to remain independent and resist external pressures. Adodo reaffirmed that some NJC officials had rejected the alleged bribe, reinforcing the credibility of the judiciary.
The clash between the Benue State government and the CJI has heightened tensions, with both sides holding firm to their positions. While the CJI insists on a probe into the alleged bribery scandal, the government maintains that the claims are an attempt to destabilize the state’s administration.
As the controversy unfolds, all eyes are on the EFCC, ICPC, and NJC to determine whether these allegations hold any merit or are merely a political maneuver.
