
Nyesom Wike,the Rivers State Governor, has hinted that he would not succumb to sentiment over who becomes the next Chief Judge of the State .
He said he has conveyed to the State House of Assembly the letter of recommendation from the National Judicial Commission (NJC).
He spoke when he received a delegation of Okpo Club of Nigeria on courtesy visit at Government House, Port Harcourt, Governor Wike said the process of appointment of a substantive Chief Judge is based on constitutionality and not sentiment.
“I have conveyed the NJC’s recommendation to the House of Assembly. I am not the one who recommended, mine is to act on the recommendation of NJC. I never wrote letter to NJC, I am not a member of Judicial Service Commission (JSC).”
Governor Wike said the names of two most senior judges of the State High Court were submitted by the State Judicial Service Commission to the NJC early in order to avoid the situation of having a Chief Judge in acting capacity.
“Nobody can intimidate me with any kind of sentiment. I will do what is right. We knew the crisis that happened here in this State and people do not want to distinguish it. What was the crisis? JSC submitted Daisy Okocha’s name and Agumagu’s name. Of course, Daisy Okocha was the most senior. But even at that, Agumagu was the President of Customary Court of Appeal. NJC in their wisdom said no, we are going to recommend the most senior judge and recommended Daisy Okocha.
“The then Governor said no, I will not take the recommendation of NJC and went on his own to swear in Agumagu as acting Chief Judge. The constitution is very clear. It is only the most senior that will be an acting Chief Judge and that was the crisis.
“In this case, there is nothing like acting chief Judge. I don’t want to have acting Chief Judge. I want to do my own thing on time and we did it on time. And JSC in their wisdom submitted two people’s name and NJC recommended one and you are now playing politics that it is the governor.”