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….Ikeokwu: “We’ve never had it this bad”
These are evidently not the best of times for the judiciary in Imo state.
The state’s judiciary, a critical pillar of democracy tasked with upholding the rule of law and protecting the common man, lies crippled, enmeshed pervasive corruption and unprecedented executive impunity.
This vital arm of government is operating at its worst rating ever, stripped of its constitutional head, and subjected to a series of scandals that have left it a shadow of its former self, raising the critical question: who truly benefits from this orchestrated chaos?
A broken tradition
The current impasse has its roots in the altered succession of judges, particularly the removal of the former Chief Judge, Honourable Justice Theresa Chukwuemeka-Chikeka, by the National Judicial Council (NJC) on allegations of age falsification in November 2024. Her removal and the events that followed shattered a long-standing tradition of seamless succession in the Imo judiciary.
According to a popular lawyer in Owerri, Kissinger Ikeokwu, prior to Governor Uzodimma’s tenure, succession was a straightforward process honouring Section 271 (4) of the 1999 Constitution.
He stated that Governors Ikedi Ohakim and Rochas Okorocha seamlessly appointed the most senior judges – Hon. Justice Benjamin A. Njemanze and Hon. Justice Pascal Nnadi respectively – upon their predecessors’ retirements.
“However, within five years of Governor Uzodimma’s administration, three individuals have served as Chief Judge in either acting or substantive capacity, each tenure ending in dramatic and chaotic circumstances”, Ikeokwu said.
The crisis was first ignited when the most senior judge at the time, Honourable Justice Ijeoma O. Agugua, completed her constitutionally mandated six-month tenure as Acting Chief Judge but was inexplicably denied confirmation as the substantive Chief Judge.
Instead, Justice Chikeka was reappointed and later confirmed, only to be removed by the NJC following a petition by persons believed to be proteges of the government.
Executive Impunity
Upon Justice Chikeka’s removal on November 14, 2024, the judiciary in Imo state was left leaderless and clearly rudderless.
For months, Governor Uzodimma displayed apparent indifference to the constitutional vacuum.
After intense pressure, the governor did the unthinkable.
In a secretive ceremony on April 2, 2024, he surreptitiously swore in Honourable Justice Theophilus N. Nzeukwu as Acting Chief Judge. The move was a flagrant violation of the constitution, as Justice Nzeukwu was the fourth in line in order of seniority, behind Hon. Justices I. O. Agugua, A. Ononeze-Madu, and V. O. Okeke.
The Owerri Branch of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) immediately condemned the appointment. Its Chairman, Barr. Chris Ihentuge, and the NBA President, Mazi Afam Osigwe SAN, demanded an immediate reversal. The governor remained unmoved.
His defiance was short-lived. On June 25, 2025, the NJC struck, reversing the appointment and compulsorily retiring Justice Nzeukwu for making himself available to be sworn in, knowing fully well that he was number four in the hierarchy. The NJC directed the governor to immediately swear in the actual most senior judge, Hon. Justice O. Agugua.
Yet Governor Uzodimma delayed compliance for weeks, only inviting Justice Agugua for swearing-in on July 23, 2025, after eight months of a crippling leadership vacuum.
Justice Agugua who had on two occasions been sidetracked and denied her deserved appointment as substantive Chief Judge, was no longer keen on any offer that will see her serving again as Acting Chief Judge, a position she had served the full term previously.
A Judiciary Under Siege
Giving a wholistic appraisal of the situation, Barrister Kissinger Ikeokwu said: “The Chief Judge debacle was merely the tip of the iceberg. The entire judicial institution had been under systematic attack.
“In a sweeping purge, eighteen High Court Judges faced NJC queries over allegations of age falsification, from petitions allegedly linked to an acolyte of the governor.
Nine were sacked, while nine were absolved.
The mass investigation saw judges frequently shuttling to Abuja, bringing the court calendar to an “incalculable disruption.”
“Further compounding the crisis, Governor Uzodimma removed the Attorney General, Chief C. O. C Akolisa, on May 2, 2025.
Consequently, the state has been without both a Chief Judge and an Attorney General for many months, meaning Imo has no representation at the national committees of Chief Judges and Attorneys General.
“The consequences for the common Imo residents are dire. The High Court proceeded on vacation without setting up vacation courts, denying citizens access to justice.
Magistrates and law officers, earning a paltry N200,000 since the Rochas Okorocha era, are compelled to use personal vehicles or public transport for official duties, reflecting a total lack of investment in the justice sector.”
Who Benefits From The Chaos?
Stakeholders posit that the decline began gradually during the administration of Rochas Okorocha but has been exacerbated under Uzodimma, who seems to enjoy a comatose legislature and judiciary.
“The judiciary that ought to co-exist with the executive with some degree of independence has become a pawn in its hands”, Ikeokwu lamented.
According to him, the compromise began with politicized recruitments, making the judiciary subservient and allowing the executive to exploit its weaknesses for “selfish scheming and machinations.”
A curious mind is left to ask: what benefit is a docile judiciary to a state? The answer, observers suggest, is clear.
An impotent judiciary cannot check the excesses of the executive or hold it accountable. It cannot challenge impunity or protect the rights of citizens against government overreach.
Ikeokwu further observed that such reports as that of the NJC alone, which condemned the governor’s actions, “is enough to impeach a governor, but sadly in Imo we have neither legislature nor judiciary.
What we have is a one-man government.”
Consequently, the sacred institution of justice in Imo has been battered, devastated, and thrown into turmoil.
And while the rot may not be easily noticeable to the ordinary man on the street, its effects – denied justice, unchecked power, and a crippled democracy – will be felt by all for years to come.
