Prince Bob Njemanze Mocks JSC’s Process Over Appointment of Imo Chief Judge

The recent public notification made by Imo State Judicial Service Commission (JSC) for the purposes of appointing a substantive Chief Judge, High Court of Imo state has attracted wide criticisms and condemnations in the state. One of which came from an elder statesman, Prince Bob Njemanze who faulted the process.

The fiery Public Affairs Analyst raised his voice on Tuesday in Owerri when he spoke to a section of the media mocking what he described as a faulty process deliberately adopted by the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) for such a crucial appointment.

In the public notification signed by Jennifer Obianuju Nwosu Esq, the Secretary of the commission, entitled ‘Shortlisted Candidates For Appointment as Chief Judge, High Court of Imo state’, the notification stated that in pursuant to paragraph 5.4 of the National Judicial Council Revised Guidelines for appointment of the Chief Judge, Grand Kadi, and President of Customary Court of Appeal 2023,the Imo state Judicial Service Commission (JSC) thus published the names of judges shortlisted for consideration for the appointment of a chief Judge of High Court of Imo state.

The names carried by the public notification are Hon. Justice Ononeze-Madu who is the second most senior judge after Justice Ijeoma Agugua,the acting chief judge, was appointed to the higher bench in August 2, 2004. On the list too, is Hon. Justice Eugene Agada who is at present reported to be indisposed, joined the higher bench in May, 9, 2008.

The Commission had claimed that the names were strictly listed in order of seniority based on dates of appointment to the high court given their Judicial service record and now calling for Memoranda/comments from members of the public, the Nigerian Bar Association, Civil Society Organisations, and stake holders as they request their assessments of their suitability, integrity, reputation and character of the listed Judges.

The memoranda are expected to be submitted on or before 20th of June, 2026 which is 14 days from the date of the publication.

On the contrary, the list has sparked controversies following the non inclusion of the name of the current acting chief Judge of the state,Hon.Justice Ijeoma Agugua, who by the records,is the most senior of the judges in Imo high courts and the most eligible.

In his reactions, Prince Njemanze mocked the process saying that they cannot cloth themselves in fraud and bring such to the public domain trying to mask truth and facts.

The Public Affairs Analyst recalled that it was this type of calamity that caused the sack of a wrongly appointed Chief Judge in Imo and Eight others recently.

Prince Njemanze described the public notification as a calculated fraud by a body which at the state level should oversee the dispensation of justice.

The elder statesman therefore called on the National Judicial Council (NJC) to save the image of the judiciary in Imo by correcting the anomaly.

The Prince said that members of the public would be eager to know where the criteria used without the most senior on the bench was imported from.

Records have shown that Justice Agugua was appointed to the bench in 1993 which is about 11 years before the first name on the list of the Judicial Service Commission was appointed to the same higher bench.

The calculated attempt to deceive the public was sponsored and perpetrated by a group that has turned itself into a cabal of envious men within the bench and bar.

He disclosed that most of the members of the group both from the bench and bar are hiding over their various accomplishments made due by long stay in practice.

Justice Agugua has been eligible to sit as the acting Chief Judge of the High Court and has been the most senior judge which raises questions as to why her name for the second time should not be on the list made public by the JSC and this calls for the interventions of the National Judicial Council (NJC).