A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Francis Amobi Nzelu on Sunday commended the National Judicial Council (NJC) for demonstrating what he termed bold leadership in restoring confidence in the judiciary.
The SAN spoke in an exclusive chat with Nigerian Tribune while reacting to the action of the NJC, which recently ordered the compulsory retirement of ten judges from the Imo State judiciary—nine for falsifying their age and one for illegally assuming the role of Acting Chief Judge.
According to the SAN, “The NJC, through my lord the CJN, has infused discipline into the judiciary, which remains the last hope of the common man.
“When judges engage in acts like falsifying their age just to remain in office, it’s no longer about Justice, it becomes about personal gain,” Nzelu said.
The SAN lamented the case of one of the judges who allegedly added ten years to his age to prolong his time on the bench.
“You cannot cheat nature. At a certain point, age affects your productivity and your mental sharpness. If a judge begins his service with a lie, how can he dispense true justice to others?”
He also emphasised that such actions undermine the credibility of the judiciary and constitute a betrayal of public trust.
“A judge who falsifies documents is already a fraud. What kind of justice can such a person offer society?”
The SAN praised the CJN’s efforts in ensuring fairness in judicial appointments and succession.
“This move has also ended the culture of favouritism in judicial elevation. You cannot be number six and suddenly leapfrog to number one. Seniority and merit must be respected,” he said.
Nzelu commended the NJC’s decision as a bold step towards sanitising the judiciary. “This is a good job. I commend the CJN and the Council. Justice must not only be done but seen to be done, starting from within.”
It would be recalled that the NJC had, in a statement, disclosed that nine of the affected Judges falsified their dates of birth in a bid to perpetuate themselves in office.
The NJC had also affirmed the retirement of Justice T. N. Nzeukwu for allowing himself to be sworn in as the Acting Chief Judge of the Imo State High Court, even though he was the fourth in the hierarchy of Judges of the Imo State Judiciary.
The Council insisted that Justice Nzeukwu’s action was contrary to Section 271 (4) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended.
According to the NJC, “The nine Judges found to have falsified their records, comprising five (5) High Court Judges and four Judges of the Customary Court of Appeal, Imo State are: Hon Justice M. E. Nwagboso (High Court), Hon Justice B. C. Iheka (High Court), Hon Justice K. A. Leaweanya (High Court), Hon Justice Okereke Chinyere Ngozi (High Court), Hon Justice Innocent Chidi Ibeawuchi (High Court), Hon Justice Tennyson Nze (Customary Court of Appeal), Hon Justice Ofoha Uchenna (Customary Court of Appeal), Hon Justice Everyman Eleanya (Customary Court of Appeal), Hon Justice Rosemond Ibe (Customary Court of Appeal).
“Hon. Justice T. N. Nzeukwu was sanctioned for making himself available to be sworn into office as acting Chief Judge of Imo State.
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