The Judicial Service Commission in Imo State is brewing a scandal at the instigation of the State Governor,
@Hope_Uzodimma1. A senior judge from the state serving somewhere in Abuja is part of this scandal, as are some
#SANs from the State.
Last week, the Commission purported to produce a shortlist of 2 candidates for the position of Chief Judge of the State. It did not say when it began the process or how.
One of the 2 candidates is Justice Ononeze-Madu who became a judge in 2008. The other one is Justice Agada who is actually too infirm at this time.
In actuality, this is a "shortlist" of 1.
The Commission claims that it has done the shortlist in order of seniority. The mystery is that they have excluded the Ag. Chief Judge, Ijeoma Agugua.
Appointed in 1993 as a judge, she is senior to the next to her by 11 years as a judge. She has been passed over for the position of Chief Judge at least 3 times.
Hope Uzodinma & his agents have a
#RumourMill designed to making her. But her record with
@njcNig is clean. A judge whose official record is without blemish should not suffer this kind of concerted effort to tarnish her.
But that has not stopped them from doing it. The conclusion is clearly that the politicians are afraid of a woman whom they consider too independent & not malleable to their will. They would rather have as Chief Judge, a person whom they can instruct.
This scandal instructed by Hope Uzondinma is a test for the current Chief Justice of
#Nigeria. We will watch diligently to see whether the
#CJN &
@njcNig will be willing to defend judicial seniority & the integrity of a judge whose record is clean.