ADVERTISEMENT
  • The Membership Club
  • PT Hausa
  • About Us
  • Advert Rates
  • Careers
  • Contact Us
Tuesday, March 2, 2021
Premium Times Nigeria
  • Home
  • COVID-19
  • News
    • Headline Stories
    • Top News
    • More News
    • Foreign
  • Investigations
  • Business
    • News Reports
    • Financial Inclusion
    • Analysis and Data
    • Business Specials
    • Opinion
    • Oil/Gas Reports
      • FAAC Reports
      • Revenue
  • Opinion
  • Health
    • News Reports
    • Investigations
    • Data and Infographics
    • Health Specials
    • Features
    • Events
    • Primary Health Tracker
  • Agriculture
    • News Report
    • Research & Innovation
    • Data & Infographics
    • Special Reports/Features
    • Investigations
    • Interviews
    • Markets
  • Arts/Life
    • Arts/Books
    • Kannywood
    • Lifestyle
    • Music
    • Nollywood
    • Travel
  • Sports
    • Football
    • More Sports News
    • Sports Features
  • Projects
    • Parliament Watch
    • Panama Papers
    • Paradise Papers
    • AGAHRIN
  • Home
  • COVID-19
  • News
    • Headline Stories
    • Top News
    • More News
    • Foreign
  • Investigations
  • Business
    • News Reports
    • Financial Inclusion
    • Analysis and Data
    • Business Specials
    • Opinion
    • Oil/Gas Reports
      • FAAC Reports
      • Revenue
  • Opinion
  • Health
    • News Reports
    • Investigations
    • Data and Infographics
    • Health Specials
    • Features
    • Events
    • Primary Health Tracker
  • Agriculture
    • News Report
    • Research & Innovation
    • Data & Infographics
    • Special Reports/Features
    • Investigations
    • Interviews
    • Markets
  • Arts/Life
    • Arts/Books
    • Kannywood
    • Lifestyle
    • Music
    • Nollywood
    • Travel
  • Sports
    • Football
    • More Sports News
    • Sports Features
  • Projects
    • Parliament Watch
    • Panama Papers
    • Paradise Papers
    • AGAHRIN
Premium Times Nigeria
BUA Group Ad BUA Group Ad BUA Group Ad
ADVERTISEMENT
PDP crisis: Baraje faction slams presidency over Amaechi, NGF

Rotimi Amaechi, Rivers State governor

NJC suspends Rivers Chief Judge, Agumagu, queries Justice Akanbi

byNnenna Ibeh
March 27, 2014
2 min read

Mr. Amaechi has been having a running battle with the NJC.

The National Judicial Council on Thursday suspended the Rivers State Chief Judge, Peter Agumagu.

Mr. Agumagu was suspended for allegedly going against the Council’s directive that no judge in Rivers should accept to be acting chief judge of the state, based on Governor Rotimi Amaechi’s appointment.

Mr. Agumagu was first appointed the acting Chief Judge of the State by Mr. Amaechi last year.

His appointment was, however, in February, voided by a Federal High Court presided by Justice Lambo Akanbi.

Mr. Akanbi had ruled that by the provisions of the law, only the most senior judge in the state judiciary can be appointed as Acting Chief Judge. Mr. Agumagu was then not the most senior judge in the state.

The NJC, the highest decision making organ of the Nigerian judiciary, had recommended Justice Daisy Okocha, the most senior judge in the Rivers judiciary, as the Chief Judge of the State. The NJC made the recommendation to Governor Amaechi.

Mr. Amaechi, however, jettisoned the NJC’s recommendation and, based on the state judicial council recommendation, appointed Mr. Agumagu as the state’s chief judge. He and the state government then filed a suit at the Federal High Court, to, among others, determine if the state governor must do the bidding of the NJC in choosing a chief judge.

In his ruling on the matter on March 18, Justice Lambo ruled that the NJC’s recommendation was not binding on the governor.

RelatedNews

Abuja chief judge retires

NJC recommends appointment of 69 judges (FULL LIST)

Ex-army general appeals dismissal of N8 billion suit against Lagos govt, others

#EndSARS: Confusion as judges, staff, litigants, ordered to vacate Abuja Federal High Court

“With greatest respect to the National Judicial Commission, who is my employer, I cannot allow the argument of the defence counsel, that the governor must accept the recommendation of the NJC,” the judge ruled.

“The body that is most suitable to make recommendation of a nominee of a chief judge of the state is the state Judicial Service Commission (JSC), because they have local knowledge of the most suitable candidate, than the National Judicial Commission.”

Mr. Lambo, in the ruling, said his judgment was not contradictory to his earlier one in February. He said the law states different conditions for appointing an acting chief judge and a chief judge of a state.

Dangote adbanner 728x90_2 (1)

Mr. Lambo also ruled that according to Nigerian law, it was not mandatory that the most senior judge be appointed the state’s Chief Judge. He said the judge to be considered, must however have spent at least 10 years on the bench, a qualification met by Mr. Agumagu, who was then the President of the Rivers Customary Court of Appeal.

Following the court ruling, Mr. Amaechi on March 18 swore in Mr. Agumagu as the state’s chief judge.

For giving such a ruling, sources told PREMIUM TIMES that the NJC also queried Mr. Akanbi.

It is not clear how the Rivers State Government will react to the NJC’s suspension of Justice Agumagu; or whether the judge would cease to act as the state’s chief judge.

The State’s Commissioner of Information, Ibim Semenitari, did not return calls or respond to a text message sent to her.

More details later…

ADVERTISEMENT
  • WhatsApp
  • Tweet
  • Email
  • Print
  • Telegram
  • More
  • Share on Tumblr
  • Pocket

Support PREMIUM TIMES' journalism of integrity and credibility

Good journalism costs a lot of money. Yet only good journalism can ensure the possibility of a good society, an accountable democracy, and a transparent government.

For continued free access to the best investigative journalism in the country we ask you to consider making a modest support to this noble endeavour.

By contributing to PREMIUM TIMES, you are helping to sustain a journalism of relevance and ensuring it remains free and available to all.

Donate


TEXT AD: To advertise here . Call Willie +2347088095401...


JOIN THE CONVERSATION

  • Disqus (0)
premiumtimes



PT Mag Campaign AD

Previous Post

Nigeria winning war against polio – Report

Next Post

FIFA Presidency: Only I can defeat Blatter, says Platini

Nnenna Ibeh

Nnenna Ibeh

More News

Zamfara State map

BREAKING: Insecurity: Buhari declares Zamfara ‘no fly zone’, bans mining activities

March 2, 2021
COVID Vaccine

Nigeria receives 3.94 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines

March 2, 2021
Late Emir of Kagara, Alhaji Salihu Tanko

Emir of Kagara is dead

March 2, 2021
Buhari presides National Security Council Meeting

PHOTOS: Buhari presides National Security Council Meeting

March 2, 2021
Olusegun Obasanjo

PDP reconciliation committee visits Obasanjo

March 2, 2021
Former president Olusegun Obasanjo. [PHOTO CREDIT: @Atl_Dialogues]

FAKE NEWS: ‘Latest Obasanjo letter’ in circulation written in 2019

March 2, 2021
Next Post
FIFA Presidency: Only I can defeat Blatter, says Platini

FIFA Presidency: Only I can defeat Blatter, says Platini

Militants used to illustrate the story.

UPDATE: Shell declares Force Majeure on Forcados facility after MEND attack

Discussion about this post

Search

#EndSARS: Latest Updates




Polaris Bank


JAIZ Ad


NITDA Ad





Glo Ad

Subscribe to News via Email

Enter your email address and receive notifications of news by email.

Join 1,627,484 other subscribers.

Advertisement






netherland biz school Advert

Zenith Advert
ADVERTISEMENT

Our Digital Network

  • PT Hausa
  • Election Centre
  • Human Trafficking Investigation
  • Centre for Investigative Journalism
  • National Conference
  • Press Attack Tracker
  • PT Academy
  • Dubawa
  • LeaksNG
  • Campus Reporter

Resources

  • Oil & Gas Facts
  • List of Universities in Nigeria
  • LIST: Federal Unity Colleges in Nigeria
  • NYSC Orientation Camps in Nigeria
  • Nigeria’s Federal/States’ Budgets since 2005
  • Malabu Scandal Thread
  • World Cup 2018
  • Panama Papers Game
  • Our Digital Network
  • About Us
  • Resources
  • Projects
  • Data & Infographics
  • DONATE

All content is Copyrighted © 2020 The Premium Times, Nigeria

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • COVID-19
  • News
    • Headline Stories
    • Top News
    • More News
    • Foreign
  • Investigations
  • Business
    • News Reports
    • Financial Inclusion
    • Analysis and Data
    • Business Specials
    • Opinion
    • Oil/Gas Reports
      • FAAC Reports
      • Revenue
  • Health
    • News Reports
    • Investigations
    • Data and Infographics
    • Health Specials
    • Features
    • Events
    • Primary Health Tracker
  • Agriculture
    • News Report
    • Research & Innovation
    • Data & Infographics
    • Special Reports/Features
    • Investigations
    • Interviews
    • Markets
  • Arts/Life
    • Arts/Books
    • Kannywood
    • Lifestyle
    • Music
    • Nollywood
    • Travel
  • Sports
    • Football
    • More Sports News
    • Sports Features
  • Projects
    • Panama Papers
    • Paradise Papers
    • Parliament Watch
    • AGAHRIN
  • Opinion
  • PT Hausa
  • The Membership Club
  • Dubawa
    • Dubawa NG
  • About Us
  • Advert Rates
  • Careers
  • Contact Us
  • Digital Store
  • DONATE

All content is Copyrighted © 2020 The Premium Times, Nigeria

Our website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.
loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.