By Winnie Onu, Makurdi
The Benue Equity and Justice Movement has called on the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court and the Chief Justice of Nigeria to protect the integrity of the judiciary and ensure justice in the eligibility suit challenging the 2027 governorship ambition of former Attorney-General of the Federation, Chief Michael Aondoakaa.
The group made the demand following allegations that Aondoakaa was making moves to compromise the judge handling the suit ahead of the November 16, 2026 judgment on whether he is qualified to contest the governorship election on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
In a statement issued on Thursday, the group’s General Secretary, Kingsley Asema, alleged that Aondoakaa had held meetings with former Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, and members of his legal team to explore ways of influencing the outcome of the case.
It claimed that a meeting allegedly held in Jos last Friday was attended by Aondoakaa, a former Secretary to the Benue State Government, Tony Ijohor, and lawyers Clement Mue, Anthony Malik and Matthew Onoja.
The group further alleged that the legal team advised Aondoakaa to approach the presiding judge through an unnamed Senior Advocate of Nigeria based in Jos.
“We have it on good authority that Barrister Michael Aondoakaa, having realised that the eligibility suit against him in court would not go in his favour based on various evidence that he had been barred from holding any public office, has been holding series of meetings with his political godfather, Chief Samuel Ortom, and legal team led by a former Secretary to the Benue State Government, Tony Ijohor, on the possible way to bribe the judge handling the case,” the statement alleged.
The group urged the judicial authorities to investigate the allegations and ensure that the November 16 judgment was delivered strictly on the basis of the law and evidence before the court, warning that any compromise would further erode public confidence in the justice system.
The eligibility suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2152/2026, was instituted by David Ejembi, Aondoaver Teryila, Joseph Okpanachi and Benedict Akaazua Orkume against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the PDP and Aondoakaa.
The plaintiffs are asking the Federal High Court in Abuja to stop Aondoakaa from parading himself as the PDP governorship candidate and compel INEC to remove his name from its official portal.
The suit followed an earlier Supreme Court judgment delivered on December 10, 2021, which upheld the Court of Appeal judgment affirming a Federal High Court decision barring Aondoakaa from holding public office over his conduct as Attorney-General of the Federation under the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua.
The Court of Appeal had, on June 1, 2010, declared that Aondoakaa undermined the rule of law, the administration of justice and the integrity of the judiciary through letters written in his official capacity.
The latest suit was adjourned to November 16, 2026, for judgment after lawyers representing the parties presented their arguments.
The group also described the case as a test of the judiciary’s commitment to dispensing justice without fear or favour, insisting that the court must be allowed to determine the matter independently, without political pressure or external interference.
Media Consultant to Aondoakaa, Dr. Terver Akase, had yet to respond to the allegations at the time of filing this report as calls and messages put through his telephone were not answered.
