Delta NBA Accuses CJ Of Nepotism

The Judicial Service Commission (JSC) of Delta State is facing
serious crisis over appointment of judges.

The Warri Branch of Nigerian Bar Association, (NBA) has rejected
JSC proposed list to the National Judicial Council (NJC) for the
appointment of judges in the State.

The Branch said it was rejecting the list because if accepted
and the persons appointed as judges, it would set a very dangerous
and destructive precedent in Delta State.

The branch faulted the Chief Judge for appointing his son as a
High Court Judge, saying that due process was not followed.

In a petition to the Chairman of NJC, the Warri Branch of the
NBA also called for an in-depth review of the process by the
NJC.

The petition was signed by Michael A. Asugo, Esq. (Chairman) and
John E. Aruoture, Esq. (Secretary).

The petition titled, “Re: Appointment of Judges in Delta State:
A rejection of the purported list by Judicial Service Commission of
Delta State and a call for an investigative review of the process”,
the Branch said it noticed some serious deficiencies in the
exercise.

“Such as lack of assessment of intellectual suitability of the
candidates, scrutiny of their records such as cases conducted by
them or judgement delivered by them, etc.”

“The screening of the shortlisted candidates that was conducted
by the JSC on the 16th of July 2019 was a sham that could not
possible determine the suitability or otherwise of any candidate
for appointment as a judge of the High Court.

“When the names of the persons allegedly picked for appointment
filtered into the public domain, it became clear that the list of
persons forwarded by the JSC for the consideration of the NJC, is
made up of some hand-picked candidates and the blood relations of
the Chief Judge of the Delta State, Hon. Justice Marshall Umukoro
and the President of the Customary Court of Appeal, Hon Justice
S.O.N. Ogene,” the branch said in the letter.

The Branch alleged that only a selected few who were highly
connected were informed of the commencement of the process made the
list, stressing that this cannot be the intendment of the rules
referred above.

They also said that an appeal to the JSC to supply the criteria
used for short-listing the first 36 candidates and the final
selection of five candidates with five alternates was also
ignored.

“Although the JSC has refused to reveal the names of the final
five candidates and the five alternates that have been forwarded to
the NJC for consideration and the criteria for choosing them, it is
however now a well known fact that the names include Onome Marshal
Umukoro, the son of the Chief Judge of Delta State and Aaron
Ighoverio, a cousin to the President of the Customary Court of
Appeal, Delta State,” the Branch wrote.