NBA Branches In Enugu State Raise Alarm, Say Gov Ugwuanyi Secretly Appointing Judges

*Prays NJC To Reject Any List Of Judges From Outgoing Governor
*Says Due Process Was Not Followed In Nomination Of Judges
*Insists Enugu Lacks Facilities To Cater For New Judges

The NBA branches in Enugu state has raised alarm over an alleged secret ploy by the Governor of the State, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi to appoint new Judges into the state judiciary without following the constitutionally laid down procedure for such appointments.

In a letter to the National Judicial Council collectively signed by the five NBA branches in the state, they alleged that the state Governor as a plan of rewarding his cronies for their political patronage over the last eight years has decided to appoint 14 new Judges without recourse to public nomination, and attestation to character by the Bar which is the regular procedure, and urged the National Judicial Council to reject any purported list of such nature sent to them by the Governor.

According to the letter, “Long before now, we have met with the Executive Governor who is now out-going, on so many occasions and had appealed to him to appoint more Judges for both the High Court and Customary Court of Appeal of Enugu State as the vacancies accrued and the question our dear Governor had always thrown at the Bar, is, “Where do I get the funds to buy Prado Jeeps and erect duplexes for the judges if appointed?”.

The letter continued, “The Bar represented by us is aware that beyond other qualifications before the process of selecting the names of eligible persons to be appointed judges is concluded and sent to NJC the accommodation, cars, and other utilities to be used by the newly appointed judges are provided, and inspected by NJC before the approval of the list.”

The NBA leadership in the state further noted that the beneficiaries of the proposed appointments are presumed members of the Bar, yet none of the five (5) Branches of the Bar in Enugu state has had the opportunity of being asked to attest to the characters of any of the intending appointees, and stressed that moreover, there is a glaring lack of facilities to enable existing judges to perform optimally in Judicial Divisions in the State.

“Apart from the state’s Judicial Headquarters, none of the other Judicial Divisions and Magistrateral Districts in the state is at the moment, functioning as they have all been practically closed down due to inadequate or better still, total lack of materials for judicial activities.”

They wondered if the Governor of Enugu State has provided the necessaries ready for inspection by NJC or where does the Governor intend to get the requisite funds to buy Prado Jeeps and erect duplexes for about fourteen (14) judges, in less than two months to now justify the hurricane hurry to appoint about fourteen judges at the point of his exit from office as Governor of Enugu State?

“Appointments of this nature over the years without due process of proper consideration of such applicants have frustrated the positive growth of the judiciary in Enugu state. We do hope for an intervention that will positively reshape the judiciary in Enugu State” the letter concluded.