The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has criticized the Rivers State House of Assembly for directing the Department of State Services to investigate the state’s Chief Judge, Justice Simeon Amadi, over alleged age falsification.
The NBA condemned the resolution, calling it an attempt to drag the judiciary into the ongoing political crisis between the executive and legislative arms of government in the state.
Speaking on behalf of the eight NBA branches in Rivers State, the Chairman of the NBA Okrika Branch, Tamunosiki Roberts, addressed the issue during a press briefing in Port Harcourt on Tuesday.
Tamunosiki stressed the importance of upholding judicial independence and respecting democratic principles in resolving conflicts.
He further described the situation as a dangerous political intrusion into the judiciary, warning that such actions could destabilize the state.
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He said, “We are not unaware of the existing political impasse between the Legislature and the Executive arms of government in Rivers State.
“However, we must caution that the judiciary should not be drawn into the ongoing imbroglio for no just cause.
“We reiterate that the independence of the judiciary is crucial to the sustenance of peace and stability in the state, as contending parties ultimately resort to the judiciary for the resolution of disputes as has recently been witnessed at the Supreme Court.
“There is no need to escalate tensions as the stability of Rivers State is crucial to the economy of the State and the country.”
The NBA cautioned that weakening the judiciary could destabilize the state, citing the 2014–2015 judicial crisis in Rivers, which resulted in the courts being shut down for almost a year.
“We cannot afford to experience a similar occurrence in the present times we find ourselves in the state, and especially for the interests of the good people of Rivers State to have their on-going matters in court without interruptions.
“The independence of the judiciary is crucial to the sustenance of peace and stability in the state. Any attempt to intimidate or blackmail judicial officers could lead to chaos, which we cannot afford, ” Tamunosiki said.
The Chairman of the NBA Port Harcourt branch, Mrs. Cordelia Eke, also stressed that disciplinary issues concerning judicial officers are solely within the jurisdiction of the National Judicial Council, not the legislature or security agencies.
Eke stated, “Every action in the public service has a prescribed procedure. In the case of the judiciary, only the NJC has the authority to investigate or sanction any judge,”
She called on security agencies to operate within the ambit of the law and avoid being used as political tools.
“The judiciary must not be bullied or pressured into submission. It remains the last hope of the common man, and indeed everyone, including politicians, ” Eke noted.
The association called on all political stakeholders to reduce tensions and focus on maintaining peace and economic stability in Rivers State and Nigeria as a whole.
The Rivers NBA also cautioned against any form of intimidation, urging all parties involved in the political crisis to set aside their differences and pursue peaceful resolutions for the greater good of the state and the nation.
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