Three Judges Denied Promotion For Granting Conflicting Orders

Three court Judges have been denied promotion by the National Judicial Council (NJC) for granting conflicting ex parte orders on the same matter.

NJC spokesman, Soji Oye, made this known in a statement released on Thursday in Abuja, the nation’s capital.

Oye said the three judges were barred from promotion to the higher Bench for a period ranging from two to five years whenever they are due for such promotion.

He said that Hon. Justice Okogbule Gbasam of the High Court of Rivers State was barred from elevation to higher Bench for two years whenever he is due.

Oye added that Hon. justice Edem Ita Kooffreh of the High court of Cross River State and Hon. Justice Nusirat I. Umar of the High Court of Kebbi State were barred from elevation to higher Bench for two years whenever due.

The NJC spokesman said all three judges also received warning letters urging them to be circumspect in granting ex parte orders in the future.

Oye said the council arrived at the resolution during a two-day meeting chaired by the Deputy Chairman of the NJC, Justice Mary Peter-Odili and held on December 14 and 15.

He said: “Even though there was no written petition, allegations of corruption or impropriety against the subject judges, council nevertheless, initiated an investigation pursuant to its inherent disciplinary powers under the constitution to unravel the circumstances that led to the spate of ex parte orders granted by these courts of coordinate jurisdiction over matters bearing same parties and subject matter.”

In the meeting which was chaired by Mary Peter-Odili, deputy chairman of the council, it was agreed that Okogbule Gbasam, judge of the high court of Rivers state “be barred from elevation to higher bench for two years whenever he is due, as he failed to exercise due diligence in granting the ex parte order in Suit No: PHC/2183/CS/2021 between Ibealwuchi Earnest Alex & 4 Ors and Prince Uche Secondus & anor, as there was no real urgency, in the circumstances of the matter, that would have required an ex parte order.

“Council also resolved that hon. justice Nusirat I. Umar of the high court of Kebbi state be barred from elevation to higher Bench for two years whenever due, having found fundamental defects and non-compliance with the law in granting the ex parte order in suit no: KB/HC/M.71/2021 between Yahaya Usman & 2 Ors and Prince Uche Secondus & anor.

“Hon. justice Edem Ita Kooffreh of the high court of Cross River state will not be promoted to higher bench for five years for allowing himself to be used as a tool for “forum shopping” and abuse of court process in suit No: HC/240/2021 between Enang Kanum Wani and Uche Secondus as it was evident that, in granting the ex parte order, he was seised of earlier orders of the high courts of Rivers and Kebbi states, being courts of coordinate jurisdiction with his.

“The council also placed him on its Watch-List for a period of two years.”