The National Judicial Council (NJC) has disclosed that Hon. Justice Maurice Ikpambese remains the Chief Judge of Benue State.
TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports the NJC made the disclosure in a statement released on Wednesday by Kemi Babalola Ogedengbe, Deputy Director of Information.
Recall that the Benue State House Assembly had suspended Ikpambese as Chief Judge for alleged misappropriation and mismanagement of the budgetary allocation and finances of the state Judiciary.
The State House Assembly alleged that Ikpambese had been engaging with politicians and political office holders for favourable judicial outcomes.
However, the NJC said the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 on discipline and appointment of judicial officers were not adhered to in the suspension of Ikpambese.
In the statement, Ogedengbe stated that although NJC had received a petition against Hon. Justice Maurice Ikpambese, he said the petition was yet to be investigated.
The statement reads: “The attention of the National Judicial Council has been drawn to a certain media report to the effect that the Benue State House of Assembly has purportedly passed a Resolution recommending the removal of the State Chief Judge, Hon. Justice Maurice Ikpambese from office.
“Unfortunate as this development is, Council wishes to reiterate that there are clear and unambiguous provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 on discipline and appointment of Judicial Officers vested in the Council, which clearly are not adhered to in the instant case.
“Although, the Council had this morning received a petition against Hon. Justice Maurice Ikpambese, that petition is yet to be investigated in line with Council’s investigation procedure and the principles of fair hearing.
“As far as Council is therefore concerned, until the complaint is investigated and deliberated upon by it Hon. Justice Maurice Ikpambese remains the Chief Judge of Benue State”.