Wike swears in new Rivers chief judge

Nyesom Wike, governor of Rivers state, has sworn in Daisy Okorocha as acting chief judge of the state, challenging her to live up to expectation.

Wike had announced her appointment during his inaugural speech on Friday.

The state judiciary has been engulfed in crisis since the retirement of Iche Ndu as chief judge in August 2013.

After Ndu retired, Rotimi Amaechi, who was then governor of the state, forwarded the name of Peter Agumagu, former president of the customary court of appeal, to the National Judicial Council (NJC) for consideration as Ndu’s successor but the NJC, which preferred Okocha, rejected Amaechi’s candidate. The issue resulted to series of litigation, which eventually paralysed the judiciary.

Speaking at the headquarters of the state judiciary after she was sworn in, Okocha warned judicial officers against encouraging corruption.

“There will be zero tolerance to corruption in Rivers state judiciary; do not say I didn’t tell you,” she said.

“There will be cameras planted all round the courts; it will be monitoring you, so don’t be surprised; I am telling you in advance.”

She promised to run an open-door policy, saying stakeholders in the judiciary would be able to access her any time.

“You will have access to me at all times. I will ask the Chief Registrar(CR) to obtain a telephone line for people to reach me directly if you have any problem,” she said.

She also pledged to undertake an on-the-spot assessment of all the challenges facing the sector, while advising workers to be dedicated and proud of their job.

Also speaking, Godwins Rufus, the state solicitor-general, said lawyers on government payroll had not received their allowances for the past eight years.

Rufus said lawyers had been transporting themselves to court to handle cases without any refunds.

In his remarks, Denis Okwajpan, chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Port Harcourt branch, said the association would support Okorocha in her new role.

According to Okwajpan, lawyers bore the greatest brunt of the crisis while it lasted.

He said some lawyers, especially young ones, had to take to menial jobs for survival during the period.