Amaechi Threatens To Sack Any Judicial Officer That Works With NJC's Appointed CJ

The Rivers State Government has warned that it will take disciplinary action against any judiciary officer in the state that recognises or works with Justice Daisy Okocha as the administrative or chief judge of the state.

The state Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Wogu Boms, said the warning had become necessary because of rumours making the rounds that Okocha had been appointed the administrative judge of the state by the National Judicial Commission (NJC).

Boms spoke monday shortly after a meeting of the state Judicial Service Commission at the state High Court complex in Port Harcourt.

While dismissing the rumour, Boms said both the NJC and the Rivers State Judiciary were incapable of making such appointment and urged the general public to disregard such rumours, and equally warned those peddling the rumour to desist forthwith, or be ready to face the wrath of the law.

According to him, “The Rivers State Judicial Service Commission is a body established by the constitution, which is equivalent to the National Judicial Service Commission (NJC) at the national level, while the NJC takes care of federal judges, the state judiciary takes care of state judges and staff of the judiciary.

“We are not aware of such development that Hon. Justice Daisy Okocha has been appointed the administrative judge in the state. And our attention has not been drawn to such development, either by the chief registrar who is like the secretary of the judiciary or anybody at the NJC level.

“It remains a rumour.  However, the state JSC’s attention has been drawn to a publication by the Rivers State Government that they are aware of such a possible development by the National Judicial Service Commission (NJC).

“This is because NJC met last week, and it may be possible that they are working on such issues, but right now, there is no official report or communication to that effect by the NJC to anybody on that matter.

“The NJC does not have the powers to make such appointment in Rivers State for the judiciary, whether they call it chief judge or acting chief judge or administrative judge, however described. It is illegal and the NJC is practically incapable of making such appointment.”

He maintained that it is only the governor of the state, Chibuike Amaechi, that is constitutionally recognised to appoint a judge or chief judge, and not any other body or commission as widely speculated.

“The only authority recognised by the constitution to appoint a judge or a chief judge is the governor of the state and not any other body or commission, and such body will be acting illegally if it does so, and cannot do so, if they are led by anybody to do so,” Boms stated.

The commissioner further stated that pursuant to the issues at stake, the Rivers State JSC, at its meeting, passed a resolution directing the chief registrar to inform all members of staff of the judiciary that disciplinary measures, including dismissal await any of them that deals with any judge as chief judge or acting chief judge or administrative judge not duly appointed by the governor of Rivers State.

“That is the decision of the JSC and we shall carry it out to the letter.  They are staff of the Rivers State Judicial Service Commission and not of the NJC. There is no law authorising anybody to act illegally,” he warned.