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High court refutes alleged plot to frustrate acting CJ’s appointment

By Bridget Chiedu Onochie (Abuja) and Joseph Wantu (Makurdi)
23 September 2019   |   3:04 am
The Federal High Court, Abuja, has dismissed claims of alleged plans to frustrate the appointment of Justice John T. Tsoho as substantive Chief Judge (CJ) of the Federal High Court.

Federal high court, Abuja

The Federal High Court, Abuja, has dismissed claims of alleged plans to frustrate the appointment of Justice John T. Tsoho as substantive Chief Judge (CJ) of the Federal High Court.

It distanced itself from groups and individuals making public statements on succession to the leadership of the court.

Reacting to a statement credited to the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) on alleged attempts to tamper with the hierarchy of the court, Chief Registrar of the court, Emmanuel Gakko, said the court and Justice Tsoho has nothing to do with the group.

He also denied any knowledge of an attempt to usurp the confirmation of Justice Tsoho as the CJ of the Federal High Court.

“We wish to state unequivocally that the Federal High Court and indeed Justice Tsoho, hereby completely disassociate ourselves from any persons or groups that have made public statements concerning succession to the leadership of the court,” he said.

He also stated that Justice Tsoho knew the procedures for succession to the leadership of the court, which they said, has not been breached in any manner.

Besides, Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom has advised Nigerians against putting the nation’s judiciary on trial, saying they should rather have confidence in it and separate it from politics.

Ortom, who gave the charge at the weekend, while declaring the Benue State 2019/2020 Legal Year open, vowed that as a believer in the rule of law, he would not interfere in the independence of the judiciary.

Represented by his deputy, Benson Abounu, the governor commended the state’s Chief Judge, Justice Aondover Kaka’an for the changes he has brought to the judiciary within his short stay in office, describing the Benue State judiciary as outstanding and the busiest.

Kaka’an described what he called the ‘chicanery’ often committed by lawyers against their clients as strange, noting that such practices have not only eroded confidence in the law profession but have also created suspicion and bad blood among lawyers, their clients and members of the general public.

He also described the theme of the Legal Year, “Professional Ethics and Administration of Justice In The Digital Era,” as timely, saying the rate at which lawyers carelessly file cases in court, dress carelessly and relate with their senior professional colleagues was becoming alarming.

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