More Legal Experts Back Amaechi On New Rivers CJ

More Legal experts and members of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) in Rivers State have hailed the decision of Governor Chibuike Amaechi on the appointment of Justice Peter Agumagu as the acting chief judge of the state.
Speaking during a phone-in programme organised by the Silverbird Communications in Port Harcourt at the weekend, Vice President of NBA, Austin Ejegudo pointed out that the association has decided to support the new acting chief judge since he was a High Court judge before he was assigned to set up the Customary Court of Appeal.
Barrister Ejegudo described the political coloration the appointment has taken over the past week, as a result of lack of public understanding of the workings of the judiciary.
Ejegudo said, “even in ranking, Agumagu ranks behind the former chief judge, Iche Ndu. So, there is no need to heat up the polity or make the judiciary look like the apron strings of the executive”.
The NBA vice chairman maintained that the body decided to rally its weight behind Agumagu because his appointment did not breach the law.
The same view was expressed by Uche Okwukwu, a human rights lawyer, who described the governor’s action as, “a fair reward for patience and hardwork” , adding that the governor’s action was predicated on the doctrine of necessity.
Since nature abhors a vacuum, Okwukwu argued that Justice Agumagu’s appointment was done in accordance with the demand of the circumstance pending when the National Assembly would screen and confirm a substantive judge for the state.
Corroborating Okwukwu’s view, another human rights lawyer, Ken Atsuwete submitted that there was no way Governor Amaechi would take an illegal action, reasoning that the appointment of the acting chief judge was a result of wide consultation.
Atsuwete while citing records said that contrary to claims in some quarters, Justice Agumagu was called to the Bar in 1975, ahead of Justice Daisy Okocha, who was called to the Bar in 1979.
“So, for me, Justice Agumagu is first and foremost a High Court judge before he was assigned to the Customary Court of Appeal, and in terms of seniority, Justice Agumagu is the most senior judicial officer in the state, today.”
The human rights lawyer also said Governor Amaechi’s action cannot be faulted since the same scenario is playing out in Osun State, where a former Customary Court of Appeal judge has been appointed as acting chief judge of the state.