Appeal Court dismisses suit seeking to stop Abia Govt from appointing judges
Court Dismisses Bid to Block Judge Appointments in Abia State
OWERRI, Nigeria — The Court of Appeal in Owerri has dismissed an application intended to halt the Abia State Government’s appointment of judges. The ruling was issued on Wednesday by Justice Ntong Ntong, who characterized the application as lacking legal merit.
Justice Ntong was joined in his decision by Justices F. O. Omoleye and Lawal Abubakar, both of whom concurred with the judgment. The applicants, Mr. E. E. Agwulonu and Nkume Ijeoma Oluchi, represented themselves and a group of candidates shortlisted for judicial appointments in 2022. They sought permission from the Court of Appeal to appeal a 2024 ruling from the National Industrial Court, which allowed the Abia State Government to proceed with a new judicial appointment process.
The National Industrial Court had differentiated this new process from the 2022 appointment efforts, which were mired in litigation and allegations of corruption.
Justice Ntong highlighted the legal requirement for appeals to be filed within three months of a ruling, stating that extensions could only be granted under compelling circumstances. He affirmed that the applicants had previously filed a motion to discontinue their appeal, undermining their claim that the Court of Appeal had refused to hear their case.
In his ruling, Justice Ntong noted that the applicants failed to demonstrate how the upcoming 2024 appointment process would violate their fundamental human rights. He cautioned that granting the application would delay judicial proceedings in Abia, ultimately denying justice to residents of the state.
The court dismissed the application for lack of merit and ordered the applicants to pay N1 million in damages to the Attorney General of Abia State, Sir Ikechukwu Uwanna, the Abia State Judicial Service Commission, and the National Judicial Council.
Justice Ntong reminded the parties that the Court of Appeal serves as the final legal authority in this matter, as previously ruled by the Supreme Court.
In response to the judgment, Attorney General Uwanna described it as a significant victory for Abia, stating it would restore the state’s judiciary, which has struggled with appointments in recent years. “This judgment has liberated the judiciary in Abia State from shackles of oppression,” Uwanna said. “Over the past few years, the Abia State judiciary has not been able to appoint judges, and that has stalled the process of administration of justice in the state.”
