“How Gov. Wike uses cooked DSS Report to NJC to deny Justice Joy Akpughunum emerging as Rivers CJ” – Rivers Stakeholders

Stakeholders in Rivers State have accused the Rivers state government and the Department of State Service, DSS, of allegedly cooking up a damming report for the National Judiciary Council, NJC, against Justice Joy Akpughunum to deny her the position of the State Chief Judge.

The report, which is against the laydown norms of tradition of seniority in who becomes new the chief judge of the state, was allegedly orchestrated under ethnic consideration in the appointment of the new Chief Judge for Rivers, Justice Simeon Chibuzor Amadi who hails from Emohua the same Ikwerre stock with Governor Nysemo Wike.

The Stakeholders, in a document bearing the seal of the Department of State Services (DSS)with a reference no JSC/220/1/20/APT.CJ/37 dated 19th October 2020 and titled “vetting report on the nominees for the chief judge of Rivers State “ impugn on the character of the preferred candidate Justice Joy Akpughunum who is the second most senior judge after incumbent Justice Adama Lamikanra as an insubordinate person and one who is found in the dereliction of duty to pave away for f justice Simeon Chibuzor Amadi.

According to the document read in parts: “ however findings indicate that subject has a history of insubordination to high authority one of such was her insubordinate conduct to the former Chief Judge of Rivers State, Daisy Okocha ( Justice), which led to her transfer to Ahoada Judicial Divison. She is also found to be highly temperamental and difficult to manage, by her subordinates.”

Also, in protecting the interest of former governor of the state Dr. Peter Odili, a chieftain of People Democratic Party and husband to Justice Mariam Odili of the Supreme Court, there is yet another accusation that Justice Akpughunum couldn’t act on case before her.

“For instance, SUIT NO PHC/620/2009 involving Dr. (Sir) Peter Odili Versus Attorney General of Rivers State, for the enforcement of his fundamental human rights to personal liberty and fair hearing. The case was assigned to her by the former chief judge of River State, Justice Iche NDU (Rtd) and for no reasonable cause, the subject returned the file, without treating same, an indication of clear dereliction of duty .”

One of the Stakeholder and a Transparency and Good Governance advocacy group known as Accountability Mandate, AM, based in Rivers state is leading agitations that Justice Amadi was not the right person to take over from Lamikanra.

In a petition to NJC, the group said the nomination of Justice Amadi as the new Chief Judge of Rivers was wrong and a violation of the norms and tradition of seniority in the judicial system.

In the petition also copied to the Judiciary Committee of National Assembly, the group alleged that the inclusion of Justice Amadi among the eight names of judicial officers suggested for appointment as the Chief Judge of Rivers State was a deliberate attempt to promote ethnic agenda.

The group, in the statement signed by its coordinator, Stan Stephen, stated that the nomination of Justice Simeon Chibuzor Amadi didn’t follow the norms and tradition of seniority in the judiciary.

The group said the nomination of Justice Amadi for appointment as the Chief Judge of Rivers State, is also a violation of section 271 subsection 4 of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).

This, the group said, was because Justice Amadi is number three in the hierarchy of the judicial officers in Rivers state and his nomination amounted to the neglect of more capable senior officials ahead of him.The group said this will truncate the laid down tradition in the appointment of chief judges.

It also accused Governor Nyesom Wike of promoting the ethnic agenda by nominating his preferred candidate rather than allow seniority in the selection of becomes the next chief judge of the state.

”This nomination and appointment is based on ethnic consideration by Governor Nyesom Wike because he hails from Ikwerre stock of Rivers state, a stance that could amount to grave danger and cause disaffection among the officials at the temple of justice.”’

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