Rivers Judiciary Crisis: NJC Is Playing Polictics – Lawmaker

A member of the
Rivers State House of Assembly, Hon. Golden Chioma, has accused the National Judicial Council (NJC) of playing politics with the appointment of a Chief Judge in the State.
Hon. Chioma, who was speaking on a radio programme in Port Harcourt, yesterday, also faulted the NJC for appointing Justice Daissy Okocha as an administrative Judge, saying the NJC has no such powers under the 1999 constitution.
According to him, “in law, when you don’t have such powers and you do them, they do not exist”.
He regretted that the NJC took a political side and ignored a judgement of a Federal High Court, thereby creating a situation of hopelessness by suspending Hon. Justice Peter Agumagu whose suspension, he said, also violated the 1999 constitution.
“At best, what the NJC could have done was to recommend for the suspension and that will be done by the Executive Governor of Rivers State. NJC has done that (Usurping the role of the governor) and we at the Assembly said it was not the right thing to do”, he said.
He, however, said that there was no dispute over who is the Chief Judge of the State, stating that Justice Agumagu still remains the Chief Judge, having been screened and confirmed by the State Assembly and sworn-in by the State governor.
On the Rivers State High Court (Amendment) Law 2014 recently passed by the House, Hon. Chioma explained that the House rule was strictly followed in passing the law.
According to him, “the motion passed through the first, second and third readings, public hearing was held and publication was also made in a national newspaper. The committee received memorandum from the public including from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) before the law was passed.
“It does not take days to make laws, what is required is the members of the House Assembly present and the readings taking place and process strictly adhered to. Even, the National Assembly took similar stand when it concerns public interest.
“The Federal Government declared emergency in three states and such decision was taken on one day by the National Assembly”, he said.
Hon. Chioma who is Chairman, House Committee on Judiciary, also said the governor has the right to accept or reject the recommendation of the NJC, recalling that NJC in 2012 recommended that the former President of the Appeal Court, Justice  Ayo Salami (rtd) be recalled from suspension, but the Federal Government refused to recall him even after a court judgement.
The lawmaker however said the Assembly was committed to the development and peace of the State as he called on Rivers people to maintain peace in the state.

L-F: APC chieftains, Senator Bola Tinubu, Chief Ogbonnaya Onu, former Head of State, Retired Maj.-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari and APC National Chairman, Chief John Odigie Oyegun, at the inauguration of new executives of the party in Abuja, last Wednesday.

Chikwere Uzoigwe