Be Firm, Courageous, Wike Tells New Rivers CJ, Justice Simeon Amadi

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has charged the new Chief Judge of the State, Justice Simeon Amadi, to be firm, courageous to surpass the achievements of his predecessor.

He gave the charge at the swearing-in ceremony of the Chief Judge at Government House, Port Harcourt on Wednesday.

Wike urged the chief Judge to be decisive in speedy delivery of justice by ensuring that case files were assigned, treated and judgement given based on the merit of cases.

Wike said such fate was also a hallmark of judiciary independence that was being clamoured for.

He said: “Please, let everybody work with you together. If anybody does not do his duty, you are the Chief Judge, you know what to do. Do not panic.

“Show that you have leadership. Whether the person was your classmate of not, is immaterial.”

The governor advised the new chief judge not to be afraid of petitions against him either from individuals or from the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) because such documents and animosity could be designed without the facts, or justification.

He urged Justice Amadi to discharge his duties in a manner that would make the state proud as it was under his predecessor.

He said: “Anywhere I go in Abuja, they talk about my (former) Chief Judge. I still want you to maintain that relationship.

“Let people talk about you, maintain a cordial relationship with your colleagues outside and at home too.”

Wike also assured that his administration would continue with the robust relationship established with the judiciary under Justice Adama Iyayi-Lamikanra.

“Whatever is meant for the judiciary, we will not look back in doing it. I have said here, we will continue with the financial autonomy.

“The one I will not agree to, is that the judiciary should go and submit a budget to the State Assembly. There is no law that says so”, he said.

The governor told him to set out a timeline of achievement and be ready to show evidence in the next six months of assumption of duty.

“You’ve been a Magistrate and Chief Registrar, so you know what administration is all about. Try as much as you can to surpass the achievements she made. So you too will have to say, while you were in office that this was what you did,” he said.