By Collins Ughalaa
The appointment of a woman, Justice Ijeoma Agugua, as the first
female Chief Judge of the state by Governor Uzodimma was done in
accordance with due process and to ensure that justice is restored
to the judiciary itself in the state.
The Commissioner for Justice and Attorney General of the state,
Barr. COC Akaolisa, disclosed this to journalists during a press
briefing in his office on Wednesday, stressing that Justice Ijeoma
Agugua is the most senior judge in the state and that her
appointment was in line with the yearnings of the relevant
stakeholders for the restoration of justice in the state’s
judiciary, as the state Judicial Service Commission (JSC) approved
and recommended her appointment to the National Judicial Service
Commission.
Governor Uzodimma had in March 2020 appointed Mrs. Agugua the
Acting Chief Judge of the state. The Attorney General recalled that
a certain interest group in the state judiciary did not want a
woman to be appointed the Chief Judge of the state even when it
gets to a woman on merit. He said that this untoward attitude had
existed in the past but Governor Uzodimma wants to put an end to
the injustice by insisting that justice must be served to all who
earned it no matter their gender.
He further recalled that Mrs. Udom Azogu used to be the most
senior judge in the state and was due for appointment as the Chief
Judge of the state, but she was denied the opportunity by the same
interest group that insisted she should not be appointed the Chief
Judge of the state. He added that the government at the time caved
in and appointed Justice Onumajuru the Chief Judge of the state
instead.
He noted that the ugly trend had repeated in the case of Mrs.
Ijeoma Agugua who was due for appointment as the Chief Judge of the
state because she was the most senior judge in the state, but she
was denied the opportunity on the ground that she is a woman,
adding that in her place Mr. Pascal Nnadi was appointed the Chief
Judge of the state.
The Attorney General noted that it was the injustice in the
system that Governor Uzodimma insists on correcting, saying that in
those days when Mrs. Ijeoma Agugua and Mrs. Azogu were denied their
appointments they did not challenge it in court but rather took it
in good faith.
Speaking on the allegation that Justice Aguguo had several
queries in her file, the Attorney General said that as part of the
efforts to stop her appointment, some people petitioned the
National Judicial Service Commission (NJSC) which set up a panel to
look into the allegations. He said the (NJSC) investigated the
matter and found her not guilty. He added that the queries were
part of the witch-hunting she suffered in furtherance of the
injustice meted against her.
“These are allegations by those who did not want her to be
appointed the Chief Judge of the state and those who did not want
her progress. They are frivolous allegations. The National Judicial
Service Commission had set up a panel to look into the matter but
they declared her innocent of the allegations.
“Every stakeholder is in support of her appointment except a few
persons who have issues with her and they are dragging the whole
judiciary in the state backward by their actions. Some of the
issues they have with her are rather personal as no one has found
her guilty of fraud or incompetence. She is one of the most
industrious judges in the state. The only problem she has is that
she does not pander to people. She is a workaholic”, said the
Attorney General.
The Attorney General wondered why some people who are not
lawyers should dabble into the matter by going to court to
challenge the appointment of Justice Ijeoma Agugua as the Chief
Judge of the state. He warned that people should not drag the
Judiciary in the state into an intractable legal battle.
By Collins Ughalaa
The appointment of a woman, Justice Ijeoma Agugua, as the first
female Chief Judge of the state by Governor Uzodimma was done in
accordance with due process and to ensure that justice is restored
to the judiciary itself in the state.
The Commissioner for Justice and Attorney General of the state,
Barr. COC Akaolisa, disclosed this to journalists during a press
briefing in his office on Wednesday, stressing that Justice Ijeoma
Agugua is the most senior judge in the state and that her
appointment was in line with the yearnings of the relevant
stakeholders for the restoration of justice in the state’s
judiciary, as the state Judicial Service Commission (JSC) approved
and recommended her appointment to the National Judicial Service
Commission.
Governor Uzodimma had in March 2020 appointed Mrs. Agugua the
Acting Chief Judge of the state. The Attorney General recalled that
a certain interest group in the state judiciary did not want a
woman to be appointed the Chief Judge of the state even when it
gets to a woman on merit. He said that this untoward attitude had
existed in the past but Governor Uzodimma wants to put an end to
the injustice by insisting that justice must be served to all who
earned it no matter their gender.
He further recalled that Mrs. Udom Azogu used to be the most
senior judge in the state and was due for appointment as the Chief
Judge of the state, but she was denied the opportunity by the same
interest group that insisted she should not be appointed the Chief
Judge of the state. He added that the government at the time caved
in and appointed Justice Onumajuru the Chief Judge of the state
instead.
He noted that the ugly trend had repeated in the case of Mrs.
Ijeoma Agugua who was due for appointment as the Chief Judge of the
state because she was the most senior judge in the state, but she
was denied the opportunity on the ground that she is a woman,
adding that in her place Mr. Pascal Nnadi was appointed the Chief
Judge of the state.
The Attorney General noted that it was the injustice in the
system that Governor Uzodimma insists on correcting, saying that in
those days when Mrs. Ijeoma Agugua and Mrs. Azogu were denied their
appointments they did not challenge it in court but rather took it
in good faith.
Speaking on the allegation that Justice Aguguo had several
queries in her file, the Attorney General said that as part of the
efforts to stop her appointment, some people petitioned the
National Judicial Service Commission (NJSC) which set up a panel to
look into the allegations. He said the (NJSC) investigated the
matter and found her not guilty. He added that the queries were
part of the witch-hunting she suffered in furtherance of the
injustice meted against her.
“These are allegations by those who did not want her to be
appointed the Chief Judge of the state and those who did not want
her progress. They are frivolous allegations. The National Judicial
Service Commission had set up a panel to look into the matter but
they declared her innocent of the allegations.
“Every stakeholder is in support of her appointment except a few
persons who have issues with her and they are dragging the whole
judiciary in the state backward by their actions. Some of the
issues they have with her are rather personal as no one has found
her guilty of fraud or incompetence. She is one of the most
industrious judges in the state. The only problem she has is that
she does not pander to people. She is a workaholic”, said the
Attorney General.
The Attorney General wondered why some people who are not
lawyers should dabble into the matter by going to court to
challenge the appointment of Justice Ijeoma Agugua as the Chief
Judge of the state. He warned that people should not drag the
Judiciary in the state into an intractable legal battle.