Cross River gets first female chief judge

Cross river state has made history with the swearing in of Justice Akon Bassey Ikpeme as its first female chief judge.

The swearing in of Justice Ikpeme follows a long-drawn-out tussle between the state and the NJC over who should be the chief justice of the state.

The state governor Ben Ayade, in his remarks at swearing in ceremony on February 8 2021, said he was thankful that the long-drawn saga over the appointment of a new chief judge had finally come to an end.

The National Judicial Council NJC, had in December 2019, recommended Justice Ikpeme for appointment as the Chief Judge, being the most senior judge and not having any negative security report.

Her name was forwarded to the state house of Assembly for confirmation.

On March 2 after some delay the state Assembly declined to confirm Justice Ikpeme.

During deliberations on the motion for confirmation, the House considered two opposing reports by the Committee on Judiciary that handled the matter.

One of the reports which was considered was alleged to have been endorsed by Chairman of the Judiciary Committee, Efa Esua, representing Calabar Municipal State Constituency, the report endorsed Ikpeme’s confirmation.

The other report was allegedly endorsed by the deputy chairman of the Committee on Judiciary, Godwin Akwaji representing Obudu State Constituency, urging members not to confirm her.

The House after debate however rejected both reports. And following a voice vote by a committee of the whole house, Justice Ikpeme’s confirmation failed.

The report allegedly endorsed by Akwaji’s stated why Justice Ikpeme did not deserve confirmation.

The report allegedly claimed that her confirmation would pose a security threat to Cross River State, because being an indigene of Akwa Ibom, there may be a likelihood of bias in the discharge of her duties.

The report went further to say that the best interest of the state would not be served if she became the substantive chief judge.

The non-confirmation of Ikpeme paved way for the swearing in of Justice Maurice Eneji.

This was however met with stiff opposition by both the Nigerian Bar Association NBA and the NJC.

The NBA president at the time Paul Usoro in a strongly worded statement called on the NJC not to recognize Justice Maurice Eneji who had been sworn in as Acting Chief judge following Ikpeme’s rejection. He said “This absurdity and naked injustice and prejudice must not be allowed to stand”.

On its part, the NJC, had written to the state government declining to recommend Eneji to replace IKpeme on grounds that he is the number two judge in the state.

The NJC in the letter insisted that the state government should reconsider Ikpeme’s case and appoint her as the substantive Chief Judge as the basis for her rejection by the House is not acceptable.

On January 28, 2021, in what can be described as a remarkable U-turn, the Cross River state House of Assembly overruled its earlier decision and confirmed the Justice Ikpeme as the substantive Chief Justice of the state.

The long drawn out controversy ended when Justice Ikpeme was on Monday February 8, 2021 sworn in as the first femal chief justice of Cross River state.