“Supreme Court Justice Caught at Benin Hotel with Edo AG – Scandal Ahead of PDP Election Appeal”
Legal and ethical concerns are mounting after respected human rights lawyer and judicial reform advocate, Prof. Chidi Odinkalu, alleged a late-night meeting between Supreme Court Justice Inyang Okoro and Edo State Attorney General Samson Osagie at a hotel in Benin City — just days after a major political appeal was filed.
According to Odinkalu, on June 13, Justice Okoro was seen at Protea Hotel near ShopRite, leaving around 8 p.m. in the company of the Attorney General. He shared a short video showing a man resembling the Justice at the hotel’s reception, stirring speculation given the timing.
This alleged encounter came just three days after PDP’s governorship candidate, Asue Ighodalo, filed an appeal at the Supreme Court, challenging the Court of Appeal’s affirmation of Governor Monday Okpebholo’s election.
Prof. Odinkalu, a former chairman of the National Human Rights Commission, questioned the optics and ethics of such a meeting, writing:
“Three days ago, on 10 June, Asue Ighodalo appealed to the Supreme Court… Shortly after 8 p.m. last night, a senior, male JSC left Protea Hotel (near ShopRite in Benin) in the company of the Edo State Attorney-Gen. How so?!”
Justice Okoro, no stranger to controversy, was previously caught in the 2016 DSS raid on senior judges during an anti-corruption crackdown, though he was never charged and later reinstated.
Nigeria’s Code of Conduct for Judicial Officers strictly warns against behavior that could give the appearance of bias, especially interactions with individuals linked to ongoing legal matters.
When contacted by People’s Gazette, Attorney General Osagie denied the allegations, saying: “I don’t know the judge in question,” adding that “it is not an offence to walk about freely.” He offered no further explanation.
As of press time, Justice Okoro and the National Judicial Council (NJC) have not commented.
