Power play in Abia judiciary
SIR: It is quite disheartening that the judiciary, which is the pinnacle and tower of justice, is now entangled in judicial power play. We have watched with aggravation and so much repulsion the fierce imbroglio that has engulfed the Abia State judiciary for the past two years, the incredible degree of rot associated with the leadership of the state's judiciary and the staggering failure of leadership of the Chief Judge, Justice K.O. Amah.
Moreso, having read the messy details of the Abia State crisis from The Justice Observatory Journal of July 2004 (published by Access to Justice), I as a lawyer interested in realising a vision of free, independent and dependable judiciary, can no longer pretend that all is well with Abia State Judiciary following the grave allegations levelled against the Chief Judge of the State: these allegations are shocking, appalling and constitute great embarrassment to the judiciary as a whole.
I humbly urge the CJN to use his good office as the Chief Justice of Nigeria and Chairman of the National Judicial Council to put necessary machinery in place to critically investigate this embarrassing scenario in Abia State in order to bring about a just and positive resolution of this state of decadence in the Abia State Judiciary. This will go a long way to promote transparency and accountability in the judicial system.
I modestly appeal that the dauntless Abia State Judiciary workers who have, for about one year now, been on suspension from duty, without pay be reinstated with all their allowances, emoluments and benefits paid to them from the date of their illegal suspension. May I humbly say that these CRAN officials deserve a pat on the back rather than being witch-hunted, for they stood for justice, integrity, transparency and accountability.
Chinelo Chinweze,
Lagos
