How NJC Forced Cross River To Confirm Ikpeme CJ |The Source

By Adesina Soyooye

Finally, Her Lordship, the Hon. Justice Akon Ikpeme had the last laugh. And she did that in style – at the expense of the Governor of Cross River State, Professor Ben Ayade, and a House of Assembly which has now been forced to swallow its smelly vomit.

On Thursday, January 28, the Cross River State House of Assembly finally confirmed Ikpeme as the Chief Judge of the State. The confirmation came very late after Ikpeme had been humiliated and embarrassed.

Her story with Ayade and the  Assembly is  one year old. It ought to have been a simple thing, a simple succession. But the usual Nigerian complication smuggled itself in.

When her predecessor retired from office, Ikpeme was the next in rank. As the most senior Judge in the state, hers was just to step- in after her appointment by the Governor.

The Governor did, appointing her in an acting position, pending her confirmation by both the National Judicial Council, NJC, and the House of Assembly. Usually, acting capacities last for three months only, unless renewed.

Ikpeme had no disciplinary action against her. No petition.  No blemish. So the NJC had no problem confirming her. But not the Cross River State House of Assembly, and a conniving Governor Ayade.

When Ayade sent her name for confirmation, the Assembly refused to confirm her for a very annoyingly,insulting reason.

Ikpeme is from Akwa Ibom State, but married to a Cross Rivers State man. Meaning that she is married to their brother. It was not a recent marriage. They have been married for over two decades, with grown-up children. But suddenly, the Assembly called her a stranger. Members said she was not one of them. How can she come from Akwa Ibom, and be our Chief Judge. They rejected her.

There was outrage from women groups, the Civil Society, the Nigeria Bar Association, Women Lawyers. But Ayade raised not a finger. He played the Biblical Pontius Pilate, even though everybody knew that given the relationship between Houses of Assembly and Governors, the buck stopped on Ayade’s table. A word from him, and she would have been confirmed within minutes.

So, Ayade appointed another  Acting Chief Judge. But a scandalised NJC refused to confirm the new one as a substantive CJ afer acting for three months. The Governor appointed a third one, who acted for six months, after an extension. But the NJC wouldn’t budge.

More than that, it refused to allow any other Acting CJ in the state. The NJC wanted the right thing done – a confirmation of Ikpeme.

Beaten in their own game, Ayade and the Assembly went back to their vomit – Justice Ikpeme. The Governor sent her name, asking for her confirmation.

On Thursday, members of the Assembly realised their rascality in not confirming her. They realised the wrong precedent they were setting by declaring their brother’s wife a stranger. They realised their error, and confirmed her unanimously.

Finally, the state now has a substantive Chief Judge, after righting an embarrassing injustice.