Probe Committee To Investigate Conflicting Court Orders By Federal And Rivers Judges

The Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice John Tsoho, alongside Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja and Justice I. Igwe of the Rivers State High Court, will face a probe committee over contradictory court orders in recent cases involving Rivers State. The panel, chaired by former Supreme Court Justice Rhodes-Vivour (Rtd.), will begin its investigation on Tuesday to address growing concerns over conflicting judicial decisions.

Additionally, a separate committee, led by a retired appellate court judge, will investigate allegations of age falsification against Justice Theresa Chikeka, the Chief Judge of Imo State.

The decision to investigate follows concerns raised by the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Olukayode Kekere-Ekun, who also chairs the National Judicial Council (NJC). According to sources, the NJC received a petition accusing the judges of issuing contradictory orders that have fuelled legal and political instability in Rivers State. These conflicting orders, stemming from cases related to the October 5 local government elections in Rivers State, directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on whether to release the 2023 voter register to the state’s electoral commission. While Justice Igwe ordered INEC to release the register, Justice Lifu countered by restricting its release, causing confusion and nearly sparking unrest before the elections.

The contradictions extend to a series of additional rulings, including orders regarding security measures for the elections, which led to tension between political factions and resulted in the destruction of several local government secretariats. With Rivers State’s political landscape remaining polarised, and militants from the Niger Delta threatening to attack oil facilities, calls for an end to judicial inconsistencies have become urgent.

The probe committee has been tasked with reporting its findings to the NJC within the week, following which the council will consider disciplinary action. Justice Kekere-Ekun, in her role as CJN, has emphasised the importance of restoring public confidence in the judiciary, which has been strained by incidents of inconsistent rulings.

Meanwhile, the NJC is also reviewing Justice Chikeka’s case in Imo State, where the Chief Judge is accused of having submitted multiple dates of birth across different jurisdictions. The outcome of both investigations is anticipated to reaffirm the judiciary’s commitment to transparency and integrity.

Justice Kekere-Ekun, shortly after assuming her role, pledged to restore the judiciary’s dignity, signalling her administration’s resolve to confront challenges, including issues with conflicting judicial orders.