A civil society organisation, the Civil Society Engagement Platform (CSEP), has demanded immediate action from the Nigerian Judicial Service Commission (NJSC) against the Imo state Chief Judge, Theresa Chukwuemeka Chikeka, who was indicted by the Imo State House of Assembly for age falsification.
On Wednesday, July 3, 2024, the Imo State House of Assembly and the National Judicial Council (NJC) were petitioned by CSEP.
The petition was signed by the organisation’s Director of Investigation, Ndubuisi Onyemaechi, and contained allegations against Chikeka.
Thereafter, in pursuant to section 292 of the constitution, a four-man ad-hoc committee of the Imo State House of Assembly investigated the petition and said it found that Chikeka falsified her age from October 27, 1956 to October 27, 1958.
The Chairman of the Committee and House Committee Chairman on Information and Judiciary, Ikenna Ihezuo, while presenting the investigation report on the committee of the whole House on July 17, described the act as gross misconduct.
In viral media publications, the Imo State Assembly recommended that Governor Hope Uzodinma should remove Chikeka from office, for misconduct, in keeping with the section 292 of the 1999 constitution (as amended).
In a statement made available to Blueprint in Abuja, Sunday, signed by CSEP Director of Investigation, Ndubuisi Onyemaechi, the group said that the NJC must act and not keep silent over the allegation of age falsification, saying that the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Kekere-Ekun, must tow the path of honor by enforcing anti-corruption policies in the judiciary.
“After conducting due investigation and obtaining official documents from the Nigeria Law School, the State House of Assembly special investigation Committee found out that the Imo State Chief Judge, Theresa Chikeka falsified her age by changing her date of birth from October 1956 to October 1958. The house in a plenary session adopted the Recommendations of the Committee and recommended the immediate removal of the State Chief Judge,” the statement said.
In the petition to the National Judicial Council, the Coalition of Civil Society groups attached several documents showing that the Imo State Chief Judge falsified her age to remain in service long after she ought to have retired.
Following delays in taking action on the matter, the CSO has threatened to mobilise Nigerians for a mass action against the National Judicial Council over the matter.
“It will be recalled that some Judges in the Imo State judiciary have been removed some years back for same offense of age falsification, so the CSO is shocked by the seeming reluctance by the NJC to deal decisively with this petition.
“In recent times, the corruption in Nigeria Judiciary has become a cause of great concern to the Citizens who now believe that justice is purchased and not done in the Courts.
“The coming on board of a new Chief Justice of Nigeria; Justice Kekere-Ekun may as well change the narrative if she decides to tow the path of honor by enforcing anti-corruption policies in the Judiciary,” the statement read.
