The acting Chief Judge of Kebbi State, Esther Asabe Karatu, has
written a petition to the National Judicial Council over Governor
Atiku Bagudu’s refusal to confirm her as substantive chief judge of
the state.
In the petition exclusively obtained by DAILY NIGERIAN, not
TheNigerialawyer the acting chief judge said politics of religion
and her firm belief in justice and fairness are some of the reason
the state governor denied her rights despite the recommendation of
NJC.
On January 17, 2019, the Kebbi State House of Assembly also
confirmed Mrs. Karatu as substantive chief judge of the state, but
the governor refused to act on the Assembly’s confirmation.
In a letter to the governor, referenced KBHA/LEG/001/XI and
entitled RE: APPOINTMENT AND REQUEST FOR CONFIRMATION OF JUSTICE
ELIZABETH ASABE KARATU AS CHIEF JUDGE OF KEBBI STATE, the speaker
of the state House of Assembly Abdulmumini Kamba conveyed the
Assembly’s approval.
“Reference to your submission dated, 6th November 2018, I am
glad to inform you that at an Executive Session held on Thursday,
17th January 2019, the Hon. House resolved and confirmed Justice
Elizabeth Asabe Karatu as the Chief Judge of Kebbi State,” the
three-paragraph letter read in part.
Mrs Karatu, who is due to retire on July 5, was also denied
right to swear-in the governor on May 29, 2019.
DAILY NIGERIAN gathered that the state governor, therefore,
opted for the Grand Khadi of the state, Muhtar Imam Jega.
But the Secretary to the Kebbi State Government, Babale Yauri,
said the refusal of the governor to confirm Mrs Karatu as
substantive chief justice was not because of her religion.
“The State Assembly did not screen her because of some
discrepancies in her credentials. It was not the governor’s fault,
and his action has nothing to do with religion,” he told DAILY
NIGERIAN on Wednesday.
According to the SSG, the letter purportedly sent to the
governor by the State Assembly is fake as it was not duly
signed.
In the petition Mrs Karatu wrote to NJC, the judge also made
case against the appointment of Justice Mohammed Sulaiman Ambursa
to replace her for allegedly being corrupt and friends with
politicians.
“The practice in the judiciary is that when judges are to be
sworn into office, the one who was first called to bar would be
sworn in first and thus he becomes the senior. However, in our
case, Justice Ambursa was sworn in first even though I was called
to the bar 6 years before him. I was called to the bar in 1980
while Justice Ambursa was called in 1986.
“After the retirement of Justice Ibrahim Bala, I was sworn in as
Acting Chief Judge being the most Senior Judge. However, before my
confirmation, Justice Ambursa engaged in trading with the Governor
and the Speaker of the House of Assembly and indeed to the public
that I was sponsored by the Christians Association of Nigeria to
serve the Christendom. He spent a lot of money in forestalling my
confirmation at the House, and eventually, the house rejected me on
the ground of alteration on my certificate which I believed must
have been cooked by Justice Ambursa.
“I have been working for 35 years up to the rank of Permanent
Secretary and later became a Judge but Justice Ambursa has never
complained about my religion, in fact, most of his victims are
Muslims rather than Christians. I, therefore, believe that he is
just using religion for his personal gain. I was a Muslim before
and all my Children are still devoted Muslims. I know what Islam is
all about; it is religion of peace, fairness, and Justice.
“In its effort to harmonize my relationship with the Governor,
the NJC set up a Committee of Reconciliation in May, 2019 to come
to Kebbi to talk to the Governor about my confirmation and swearing
in. However, before the arrival of the members of the Committee,
the Attorney General, Ramatu Gulma who is an ally to Justice
Ambursa went to the Birnin Kebbi Airport with Government Vehicles
to receive the members.
“At the meeting with the Governor, the Attorney General told the
Committee that I am the enemy of the Government because I ordered
the detention of family members of the Vice President, Yemi
Osinbajo who were suspected to have committed the offence Fraud of
Millions of Naira before Chief Magistrate Court in Birnin
Kebbi.
“The Attorney General accused me of failure assist the vice
president’s family who were facing criminal charges which means I
am the enemy of his Excellency and his political party. I,
therefore, deserve no assistance.
“Before the end of the meeting, it was agreed that I would be
sworn in as substantive Chief Judge but the Governor would
recommend the next Chief Judge of Kebbi State, but yet I have not
been sworn in and I will be retiring on 5th July, 2019.
“Undoubtedly, the entire crisis was masterminded by Justice M.S
Ambursa in order to frustrate my administration as Chief Judge. His
aim was to become the Chief Judge before 2019 Elections so that he
will play a role in the Elections Petition Tribunals being a
loyalist to Senator Adamu Alieru, Mr. Rotimi Ameachi, and host of
other politicians. It can be recalled that when Alieru was a
Minister of the FCT, he allocated a very large plot of land to
Justice Ambursa which he later sold,” the petition read in
part.
TheNigerialawyer recalls on August 1, 2018, Kebbi
lawmakers refused to confirm Asabe Karatu as Ag. Chief Judge, over
alleged falsification of her primary school certificate.[1]