By Charles Igbo
It was a win-win situation for women in Imo State and, especially, those in the Judiciary, when another woman, Hon. Justice Theresa Chukwuemeka-Chikeka, was appointed the Acting Chief Judge to replace the Hon. Justice Ijeoma Agugua who has been acting in that position for about one year.
Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodimma, had on Wednesday, October 20, in a release signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Cosmas Iwu, appointed Chikeka to replace Agugua.
The replacement came to many as a surprise, as the release said Chikeka would be sworn-in the next day, Thursday, October 21.
A reliable source said Agugua was not officially informed of the change of guards, but heard just like everybody else, in the early morning of Thursday.
Like other Judges she was, however, at the Swearing-in ceremony.
Agugua was appointed the Acting Chief Judge by Uzodimma, but her three- month acting duration has had to be over-extended because of a Court case which sought to stop her confirmation as the substantive Chief Judge of the State over some frivolous and unfounded allegations.
The case stalled her confirmation by the National Judicial Commission as the substantive Chief Judge.
Last week, it was finally thrown out by the Supreme Court as it was established that the lawyer who filed the case is fake.
It was, therefore, a surprise to many that Agugua was replaced thereafter.
However, Judiciary watchers say the Governor did the right thing by replacing her since her Acting duration has since elapsed. She cannot keep acting. “She has to stand-down pending when the NJC will meet and appoint a substantive Chief Judge for the State.”
The Governor seemed to have agreed with the above when, in his address at Chikeka’s swearing-in ceremony he noted:
“Let me make it clear that the appointment of a new acting Chief Judge is part of efforts of Government to fine tune the operations of the judiciary and encourage capacity building in the discharge of its constitutional role as the third tier of government. It is also part of the continuing commitment to the procedural process in the appointment of a substantive Chief Judge of the State.
“It does not in any way signal the demotion or undue elevation of any member of the Bench. Both members of the Bench and Bar are all aware of this processes.
“For this government that is the product of a democratic order – It is incumbent upon us to defend the constitution in all its ramifications. It is also our duty to encourage the judiciary being the last hope of the common man to preserve and shield itself from abuse and divisiveness because any bastardization of the institution will erode the confidence of the people with a serious consequence on the survival of our democracy.”
Another reliable source told the magazine that Agugua is most likely to be confirmed by the NJC as the Chief Judge. He said: “Aside from being the most senior Judge in the State, she is very competent, and since the case against her has been thrown out by the Supreme Court , the coast is clear for her confirmation at the next sitting of the NJC.”
