Court stops Abia govt from appointing new judges

A Federal High Court in Umuahia, Abia State, has restrained the Abia State Government from appointing new judges in the state.

The order followed a suit filed by two female lawyers seeking to be appointed as judges in the state.

How it began

Abia State Judicial Service Commission, in 2022, shortlisted candidates for appointment as judges in the Abia State Judiciary.

The candidates attended an interview conducted by the National Judicial Council on 17 October 2022.

The State Security Service was also said to have screened the candidates. They were awaiting official announcements as judges before some persons instituted a suit that stalled the process.

Okezie Ikpeazu was the governor of the state at the time. Mr Ikpeazu would later exit office on 29 May 2023.

Alex Otti was subsequently sworn in as governor of the state the same day following his election on 22 March 2023.

Upon his assumption, Mr Otti-led state government jettisoned the 2022 recruitment exercise and began a fresh process which angered the 2022 shortlisted applicants.

Suit

Two of the lawyers seeking to be appointed as judges consequently filed a lawsuit against the Abia State Judicial Service Commission, the chief judge of the state, the attorney-general and eight others.

The lawyers, Uzoamaka Ikonne and Victoria Nwokeukwu challenged the state government’s fresh process to appoint 10 new judges.

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The plaintiffs sought an interim order of the court directing the plaintiffs and the defendants to maintain the status quo in the suit pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice for interlocutory injunction in the suit.

They also prayed the court for any further orders as the court may deem fit to make in the circumstance.

Judgement

The court read the affidavit of urgency in support of the motion ex-parte deposed to by the first plaintiff, Mrs Ikonne and the submission of the counsel for the plaintiffs, Obinna Nkume.

Delivering judgement, the court presided by Justice S. B. Onu ordered all parties to the suit to maintain status quo ante bellum pending the hearing and determination of the plaintiff’s motion on notice, Vanguard reported.

The court also ordered that the plaintiffs shall enter into an undertaking as to damages if the order ought not to have been made.