A Federal High Court sitting in Umuahia, the Abia State capital, has ordered the parties involved in the processes of appointment of new Judges in Abia State to maintain the status quo pending the hearing and determination of a motion on notice.
The Court, Presided over by Justice S.B. Onu, gave the order in a suit brought by Uzoamaka Uche Ikonne and Victoria Okey Nwokeukwu as Plaintiffs representing the 2022 set of candidates for appointment as Judges, while the Judicial Service Commission, Abia State, the Chief Judge of Abia State, Attorney General of Abia State, the National Judicial Council & others are the defendants.
It will be recalled that the process of appointment of Judges in the state has been enmeshed in unresolved litigations since 2022 following a suit filed against the National Judicial Council, the Chief Judge and the Attorney General of the State.
However, while the case has remained unresolved, another process for the appointment of Judges in the state was allegedly initiated in 2024.
Dissatisfied by the development, Uzoamaka Uche-Ikonne and Victoria Okey-Nwokeukwu, approached the Court in suit No.FHC/UM/CS/82/2024 seeking an order to stop the process until all the cases concerning the process were determined by the Court.
The duo through their attorney, O.O. Nkume, argued that the 2024 process of appointment of Judges in the state amounted to resorting to self help and a flagrant disregard to due process of law in the face of the pending law suits.
The plaintiffs said all the chairmen, Nigeria Bar Association branches of Abia State were parties to the pending suit No FHC/UM/CS/82/ 2024 and thereby disallowed by law from taking any step or commenting on the suitability of the shortlisted candidates during pendency of litigation over the 2024 process of appointment of Judges of Abia State.
The petitioners stated that the shortlisting of the candidates in a letter allegedly dated March 12, 2025 with Ref. JSC/S 83/11/176 by the Abia State Judicial Service Commission was not only made in a matter sub-Judice, but after the service of suit No:FHC/UM/CS 82/2024 of pending motion for interlocutory Injunction restraining the Abia State Judicial Service Commission from continuing or taking any further steps in the 2024 appointment of Judges during the pendency of the suit.
The petitioners said that any further step taken by the parties amounted to contempt of court punishable by committal proceedings.