Justice Ozoemena taking his oath as Enugu State's new acting Chief Judge
Gov Ugwuanyi swears in Justice Ozoemena as acting Chief Judge
[From CHINEDU NWAFOR, Abakaliki]
Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi on Wednesday swore in Hon. Justice Afojulu Raymond Ozoemena as the acting Chief Judge of the State.
This followed the retirement of Hon. Justice Ngozi Priscilla Emehelu, the immediate past Chief Judge of the State.
Gov. Ugwuanyi while shortly after swearing in the acting Chief Judge, explained that appointment followed order of seniority of the Judges of the Enugu High Court, based NJC recommendation.
According to the governor, the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria, as amended, did not contemplate that vacancy should exist in the office of the Chief Judge of a State given the sensitivity of the office and its functions.
“Section 271 sub-section 4 of the Constitution empowers the Governor of a State to appoint the most senior Judge of the High Court to perform the functions of a Chief Judge of a State if vacancy occurs in the position until a person has been appointed to and has assumed the functions of that office,” he explained.
He congratulated Hon. Justice Ozoemena for his well-deserved appointment as the acting Chief Judge of Enugu State, expressing confidence that he would bring his juristic erudition, diverse experience and gravitas to bear on the administration of the Enugu State Judiciary.
In his acceptance speech, Hon. Justice Ozoemena thanked God for making it possible for him to be sworn in as acting Chief Judge of Enugu State and appreciated Gov. Ugwuanyi, who he said he held in high esteem, for his elevation.
The acting Chief Judge paid glowing tributes to the retired Chief Judge, Hon. Justice Emehelu, for the quality leadership she provided in the State Judiciary and promised to keep all the worthy legacies she left behind as well as improve on them.
“I am personally influenced by what Hon. Justice Emehelu did; the way she was mothering all of us; we regarded her as a Mommy in the State Judiciary”, he said.
He also solicited for maximum support and cooperation of the Judges and other officials of the Judiciary.
