The National Judicial Council (NJC) has denied recommending Justice Theophilus Nzeukwu’s appointment to the Imo State Government as the acting Chief Judge after compelling his predecessor, Justice Chukwuemeka Chikeka, to retire.
The NJC noted that the appointed judge could not have been recommended to the Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, considering that Nzeukwu was the fourth in the hierarchy of Judges seniority in the state.
It disclosed that the request received from the governor for his appointment was still being considered by the council when the swearing-in ceremony was conducted in Owerri, the Imo state capital.
The council stressed that the request from the governor was being reviewed, considering that the three senior judges were snubbed in the recommendation letter received from the state.
The vacancy arose after the National Judicial Council recommended the immediate retirement of the former Chief Judge, Chikeka, for age falsification.
NJC, in a statement released on Friday by the Deputy Director for Information, Kemi Ogedengbe, stressed that Uzodinma acted alone and against the laid down procedure for judges appointment in the country.
According to the statement, “The attention of the Council has been drawn to the news making rounds that the Governor of Imo State, His Excellency, Senator Hope Uzodimma, had purportedly appointed Hon. Justice Theophilus Nzeukwu, who is No. 4 in the hierarchy of Judges seniority in Imo State High Court, as the acting Chief Judge of the State, in view of the recent disciplinary action taken against the erstwhile Chief Judge of the State.
“The National Judicial Council, by this press release, wants to clarify to the public that the Governor of Imo State had earlier written to the Council requesting for its approval to appoint Justice Theophilus Nzeukwu, who is No. 4 in the hierarchy of seniority, as acting Chief Judge of the State.
“The Governor in his said correspondence to the Council, gave reasons why, in his own view, the three most senior Judges are not appointable.
“The Council is informing the public that the said letter is yet to be considered, as deliberation on the request is slated for the next Council meeting, which is scheduled to be held on 29th and 30th April, 2025.
“The Council is, therefore, by this Press Release, informing the public that: The Governor’s request is yet to be considered by the Council.
“The Council has not approved to the Governor for the appointment of the Acting Chief Judge. The Council is not a party to the process of the purported appointment of Hon. Justice Theophilus Nnamdi Nzeukwu as the Acting Chief Judge”.
