In this interview with Vanguard’s Law & Human Rights, he speaks on the dangers of the attempts by politicians to influence the decisions of the court and other sundry issues, including disregard for precedent by some judges, governors’ emasculation of the local government powers, and NJC’s power to discipline erring judges.
This is because the governors are not going to allow the state House of Assembly to vote in favour of amendment. So, we are in a very tight corner on this issue. And without that problem being solved, rural development will be very difficult to achieve in this country.Operating model for economic, financial inclusion underway — FG
Last weekend, the media was awash with photos taken at a civic reception organised in celebration of a newly appointed Justice of the Supreme Court, Justice Nwosu Chioma-Iheme in Owerri. The images showed that few top politicians from the South-East attended the event and took photographs with the jurist. Some individuals are contending that all over the world, judges are to be heard not seen in public.
The practice by High Court judges to struggle for jurisdiction and issue conflicting orders or decisions in sensitive political cases in the country appears to have brought embarrassment to the judiciary. How do you react to this as a senior lawyer? As far as I am concerned, I don’t care about the consequences of the bitter truth that I may have to say at this level. I don’t care at all. And I am very bold to say that nobody has ever challenged my public statement in this country that Ahamba made a false statement. Nobody! If there is any, let anybody draw my attention to it.
When two courts of coordinate jurisdiction are aware that a case with similar subject-matter has been submitted before them, can’t they on their own refuse to hear such case?