ABIA GOVERNOR APPOINTS ‘ACTING’ CHIEF JUDGE FOR THE STATE

Following the crisis which has recently overwhelmed the Abia State judiciary and the failure of the National Judicial Council, NJC to resolve same, Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State has appointed Justice Obisike Orji as the acting Chief Judge of the state. The announcement came barely three hours after the State House of Assembly approved a resolution suspending the incumbent, Justice Theresa Uzokwe for various alleged misconduct including “tyranny, infamy, gross misconduct and incompetence”.

He was sworn in at the Executive Council Chambers of the Governor’s Office on Friday.

Justice Orji, who is the most senior judge next to the suspended Chief Judge, Justice Uzokwe, in his acceptance speech pledged to take immediate steps to restore the confidence of the people in the judiciary which had been rocked by crisis following the dissolution and reconstitution of the State Judicial Service Commission by the governor in November 2017. The reconstitution led to the appointment of a new Chief Registrar, Benson Anya, by the new commission to replace, Elizabeth Akwiwu-Chukwu sacked following the dissolution of the commission. However the Chief Judge refused to recognise the said appointment.

In a related development, the National Judicial Council, on 31 January, 2018 swiftly moved to suspend the newly appointed “Acting Chief Judge”, Justice Uzokwe for “presenting himself to be sworn-in” in that capacity, a development the NJC claims raises potential questions of misconduct that it is now looking into.

NJC also declared the prior suspension of the Chief Judge as an act in violation of the Nigerian Constitution. Interestingly, instead of asserting the nullity of the Chief Judges suspension and recognising the continuing existence of the tenure, the NJC nominated the third most Senior Judge in the State for appointment by the Governor as “Acting Chief Justice” pending its full investigation of the matter.

NJC’s move, it seems, may be aimed at forestalling the crises it once evoked with its less than stellar handling of a similar transition tussle in the Rivers State judiciary during the twilight of the Governor Chibuike Amaechi administration when NJC’s insistence on the appointment of its nominee, Justice Daisy W. Okocha in stead of the Governor’s preferred candidate, Justice P.N.C Agumagu led to a long drawn out and messy fight that left the Rivers State judiciary shut down and reeling for a very long time.

Whether the Governor of Abia State will accept the middle-of-road offer of the NJC would be tested in the next few hours.