From Moshood Karim
Barrister Olumide Akpata, the Labour Party candidate in the upcoming 2024 Edo gubernatorial election, has called on Governor Godwin Obaseki to immediately swear-in the remaining three judges designate.
He made this plea while delivering a lecture titled: “Independence of the Judiciary, How Feasible in Nigeria Political Structure” on Day 2 of the ongoing 2024 Benin Bar Law Week in Benin City, themed “Law As A Tool For Economic Advancement And National Security.
Expressing his concerns, Akpata stated, “I have personally examined the entire process leading to the recommendation of 8 judges for appointments as judges of the Edo State High Court of Justice. Findings revealed that the Edo State Governor was involved in the process, from the call for expression of interest to the subsequent recommendations to the National Judicial Council (NJC).”
Akpata expressed disappointment in the governor’s alleged refusal to immediately swear in all eight recommended judges. “The Governor’s alleged refusal to immediately swear in the eight judges raises concerns, particularly as he has sworn in only five, leaving the remaining three judges designate in limbo,” he added.
The Labour Party candidate also raised questions regarding the governor’s claims of petitions against the three remaining judges designate, asserting that the governor has yet to confront any of the judges with the alleged petitions to enable them to respond in accordance with the principles of fair hearing enshrined in the constitution.
Akpata further highlighted that the NJC has reportedly cleared the governor’s reservations regarding the three judges, raising the fundamental question of why the governor has delayed the swearing-in of these judges for over a year since their recommendation by the NJC.
In his appeal to Governor Obaseki, Akpata urged him to reconsider and promptly swear in the remaining three judges designate to ensure justice and stability within the State’s judiciary system.
Earlier, Mazi Afam Osigwe (SAN) who spoke on the topic: “Restructuring of the Nigerian State: A Veritable Tool for National Development”, emphasied how restructuring can be a transformative tool for national development and contribute to the realization of a prosperous and united Nigeria.
