NJC punishes Imo governor’s acting chief judge pick, restates stance on appointment

The National Judicial Council (NJC) has restated its stance, directing Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma to reverse his appointment of an acting chief judge of the state and comply with its directive to swear in the state’s most senior judge instead.

The council also punished the governor’s pick for the position, Theophilus Nzeukwu, who is the number four on the hierarchy of judges of the state.

Mr Nzeukwu was sent on compulsory retirement by the NJC for accepting to be sworn in for the role.

A statement by the NJC’s Deputy Director of Information, Kemi Babalola-Ogedengbe, on Thursday, said the council doubled down on its position on the appointment at its 109th meeting held in Abuja on Wednesday.

The meeting was presided over by the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) and chairperson of the NJC, Kudirat Kekere-Ekun.

The NJC previously rejected the governor’s pick, Mr Nzeukwu, as the acting chief judge of Imo State. The office of the chief judge became vacant after the council recommended the compulsory retirement of the former occupant, T. E. Chukwuemeka Chikeka, in November 2024 over age falsification saga.

In April, Governor Uzodimma passed over the first three most senior judges of the Imo State judiciary to appoint Mr Nzeukwu as the acting chief judge, thumbing his nose at established tradition of deference to seniority in judicial appointments.

Reacting at its meeting in April, the NJC roundly rejected the appointment for disregarding the seniority principle, which, it said, was based on constitutional provision.

The council stressed that the constitutional provision on acting appointments of state chief judges does not leave room for discretion, quoting the relevant section as saying: “…the governor shall appoint the most senior judge of the High Court to perform those functions.”