Former Attorney-General of Abia State and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Chief Uche Ihediwa, has been reinstated to his prestigious rank after being suspended in July 2024.
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The Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Committee (LPPC) cleared him of any wrongdoing on February 6, 2025, following his controversial suspension over allegations linked to exposing corruption in judicial appointments in Abia State.
Speaking with newsmen, Ihediwa expressed gratitude for his reinstatement, emphasizing that his ordeal highlighted the need for urgent judicial reforms.
“I give glory to God and appreciate all those who stood by me during that difficult period. It was a tough experience—being sanctioned for speaking in favor of the judiciary—but I am grateful that people are now recognizing the truth in what I said,” he stated.
He criticized the current judicial appointment process, describing it as being under excessive political control.
“The independence of the judiciary must start with the appointment process. As it stands, state governors control the Judicial Service Commissions and determine who becomes a judge, which is unhealthy. I am not the only one raising this concern,” he noted.
Ihediwa recalled how, despite his suspension, he remained calm, believing in the fairness of the LPPC.
“I never felt guilty because I had done nothing wrong. The most important thing is not whether one falls, but the ability to rise again. I trusted that justice would be done, and thankfully, it was,” he said.
On his experience in court without his SAN rank, Ihediwa admitted it was humiliating but noted that colleagues still accorded him the same respect.
“My colleagues treated me with the utmost respect, as if I still had the SAN rank. Many of them felt I was unfairly treated,” he revealed.
He also confirmed that his suspension was linked to a disagreement with the immediate past President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Yakubu Maikyau, SAN.
“Yes, we had a disagreement during an International Bar Conference in Paris. Later, he petitioned against me for alleged professional misconduct, but the real issue was my exposure of corruption in judicial appointments in Abia State. The LPPC reviewed the matter and found no professional misconduct on my part,” he explained.
Calling for reforms, Ihediwa urged the NBA to play a more active role in judicial appointments to prevent undue political interference.
“The NBA should nominate at least two lawyers as members of the state judicial service commissions, alongside the Chief Judge and the President of the Customary Court of Appeal. This would help balance the process and prevent governors from unilaterally deciding who gets appointed,” he suggested.
Reflecting on the state of the judiciary, he lamented the erosion of judicial ethics and emphasized that judges should maintain a life of discipline and detachment from political and social influences.
“Judges should live like hermits, avoiding social engagements that could compromise their neutrality. Unfortunately, political patronage has tainted judicial appointments,” he stated.
Regarding Abia State’s current inability to appoint new judges, he blamed the lack of transparency in past processes, advising Governor Alex Otti’s administration to take corrective steps.
“If the governor writes to the National Judicial Council (NJC) explaining the need to withdraw the old list of nominees and submit a fresh one, the NJC will likely accept it. Until the new government takes this step, Abia cannot appoint new judges,” he asserted.
Ihediwa reaffirmed that judicial independence is crucial for a functional democracy, warning that failure to reform the system could further erode public trust in the judiciary.
“The integrity of our legal system is at stake. Judicial appointments must be based on merit, not political connections,” he concluded.
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