Amaechi Stirs New Controversy Over Acting Chief Judge

A new Acting Chief Judge for Rivers State resumed duty today after being sworn in by Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi.
He is Justice Peter N. C. Agumagu,who was the President of Customary Court of Appeal in the state until his new appointment.
Justice Agumagu was sworn in after the former Chief Judge of the State, Justice Iche Ndu, retired from service.
Justice Agumagu was sworn in during a brief ceremony at the Council Chambers, Government House, Port Harcourt on Tuesday.
Governor Amaechi congratulated the new Acting Chief Judge on his appointment and urged him to discharge his responsibilities.

Amaechi said the new Acting Chief Judge shall hold his office pending when the National Assembly would approve the candidate recommended for appointment as the State Chief Judge by the National Judicial Commission (NJC).
The Governor said: “Let me congratulate you on your appointment. I sat through the week with the Attorney General to review the appointment and we looked at the constitution and the constitution says the most senior Judge of the High Court and we looked at your appointment as a Judge of the High Court and compared it to the rest of the judges in the state and realized that you are the most senior judge of the high court of Rivers State. We therefore took that decision to proceed with the appointment.

“I wish to congratulate you and say to you that you have an enormous assignment in the next three months as we wait for the resumption of the National Assembly and hoping that if they do approve the recommendation of the National Judicial Commission (NJC), we will then proceed with that and we hope that within the three months you are acting, you will discharge your responsibility. Thank you very much and God bless you”.
Justice Daisy W. Okocha was earlier being speculated to fill the position of acting chief judge. Both Agumagu and Justice Daisy Okocha are Ikwerre like the Governor.
A faction of the PDP in the state has however slammed the appointment, saying it was unconstitutional.

Okafor Ofiebor /Port Harcourt