Another Case of Judicial Rascality in Benue?
One of the reasons why Nigerians have been kicking against the establishment of state police is the fear of the overbearing attitude of state governors. It is this same overbearing behaviour that the state governors exhibit when dealing with their state judiciaries.
They seek to exercise control over state High Courts. With just a phone call, governors procure ex-parte against their opponents.
It is not surprising that many believe that the sack of the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr. Iyorchia Ayu by the court may have been influenced by political leaders.
Ayu was said to have been suspended by the executive of Igyorev Ward in Ipavin Gboko Local Government Area of the state. Shortly after, the state High Court issued an ex-parte order against him to stop parading himself as the national chairman of the party.
Many believe that the speed with which the order of the court came may have been influenced by an external interest. Those who hold this view insist that the judge should have asked the petitioner to put Ayu and the party on notice before issuing the order.
Now that a group known as Expanded Igyorov Ward Executives of Igyorev Ward in Ipav has pledged their support for Ayu, and disassociated themselves from his suspension, analysts have concluded that the court was misled for the purpose of settling political scores.
The group which stormed the Wadata Plaza, headquarters of the party, in Abuja on Tuesday in solidarity with the suspended national chairman of the PDP, expressed their support for him while going further to pass a confidence vote on the embattled him.
The questions begging for answer are: Can a Ward Secretary, Mr. Vangeryina Dooyum, single-handedly suspend a national chairman of a party without the Ward Chairman, Kashi Philip and other members of the executive? Did Justice W.I. Kpochi, who gave the interim order interrogate the locus standi of the applicant, Terhide Utaan in suit No. MHC/85/2023?
This clearly shows that some state High Court judges do not bother about their career. Three years ago, some state High Court judges whose orders were procured to remove the former National Chairman of the party, Prince Uche Secondus, were sanctioned. Many would have thought Justice Kpochi of the Benue State High Court would learn a lesson from this. But this is not the case.
This is why the National Judicial Council (NJC) should investigate the judge and take action against him where necessary.
