By Tony Amokeodo, Abuja
*Council stops their promotion from 2 to 5 years
*Places them on watchlist
*Appoints 63 judges for 16 states
The National Judicial Council, NJC, has wielded its big stick against three errant high court judges and stopped their promotion for periods ranging from two to five years.
The NJC took the drastic action after it found the three judges guilty of issuing conflicting ex-parte orders.
The three errant judges are : Justice Okogbue Gbasam of the High Court of Rivers State, Justice Nusirat I. Umar of the High Court of Kebbi State, and Justice Edem Ita Kooffreh of the High Court of Cross River State.
The Council , which took the decision at the end of its two-day meeting in Abuja between December 14 and 15, said its investigations revealed that the three judges issued conflicting orders in cases involving the same parties and the subject matter.
Theideal recalls that the judges stirred the hornet’s nest when they issued conflicting ex-parte orders during the recent leadership tussle in the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) involving its former National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus.
According to the NJC, the three judges were investigated, even though there was no written petition, allegations of corruption or impropriety against them.
Disclosing the development in a statement by its Director of Information, Mr. Soji Oye, the NJC stated that an investigation committee it set up in September found the three judges guilty of indiscriminate issuance of ex-parte orders.
Announcing the punishment for their infamous action, NJC barred Justices Gbasam and Umar from getting promotion to the Court of Appeal for the next two years while Justice Kooffreh was stopped from getting promotion for the next five years.
Apart from issuing warning letters to the three judges, the NJC urged them to be circumspect in granting such Exparte Orders in the future just as it placed them on watchlist.
The NJC meeting where recommendations of the investigation committee was ratified was presided over by the Deputy Chairman of the Council, Justice Mary Peter-Odili.
The statement reads in part, “The National Judicial Council rose from its two days meeting held on 14 and 15 December 2021, with a resolution to bar the three Judges of Courts of concurrent jurisdiction who granted conflicting Exparte Orders in matters with same parties and subject matter from promotion to higher Bench for a period ranging from two to five years whenever they are due.
“Even though there was no written petition, allegations of corruption or impropriety against the subject Judges, Council nevertheless, initiated investigation pursuant to its inherent disciplinary powers under the Constitution to unravel the circumstances that led to the spate of Exparte Orders granted by these Courts of coordinate jurisdiction over matters bearing same parties and subject matter.”
Meanwhile, the NJC has disclosed that it has approved the appointment of 63 Judges for 16 States, nine of which are Heads of Court.
The statement further said, “Council also received notification of retirements from Hon. Justice Mudashiru Oniyangi of the Court of Appeal, Hon. Justice Bello Duwale of the High Court of Sokoto State, Hon. Justices S. A. Omonua and O. S. Uwuigbe of the Edo State High Court, Hon Justices M. A. Pindiga and Beatrice L. Iliya of the High Court of Gombe State, Hon. Kadi Muhammad O. Abdulkadir, Grand Kadi, Sharia Court of Appeal, Kwara State and Hon. Justice S. M. C. Ururuka-Ogeshi, President, Customary Court of Appeal, Abia State.
“It also received notification of deaths of Hon. Justice A. K. Fowe, High Court, Ekiti State, Hon. Justice Chinonyerem Onii, High Court, Imo State and Hon. Dr. Kadi Shehu Ibrahim Ahmad, Grand Kadi, Kaduna State.”
“Finally, Council approved the promotion of 84 members of staff ranging from salary Grade levels 7 to 17 as submitted by its Appointment, Promotion and Disciplinary Committee”.
