Nwaorisara Kanu, Gombe state.
Gombe State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Zubair Umar, has cleared the air on the controversy the swearing in of new Acting Chief Judge in the state is generating, saying Governor Inuwa Yahaya acted within the ambit of the constitution.
Before the swearing-in of Justice Muazu Pindiga as the Acting Chief Judge of the state on Wednesday, the incumbent Acting Chief Judge, Justice Beatrice Iliya three month tenure elapsed on the 3rd of December, 2019.
The attorney general of the state stated this on thursday, at his office in Gombe, in an interview with journalists on the current happenings in the state judiciary. He said the governor cannot reappointment a judge whose tenure has elapsed, except the National Judicial Council (NJC) make recommendation to that effect.
Umar noted that Governor Yahaya acted in line with the constitution, with a view to avoiding vacuum.
The Federation of International Federation of Women Lawyers (IFWL), had on Wednesday, protested what they said was sudden removal of Justice Beatrice Iliya without prior notice and immediately sworn in Justice Pindiga as the Acting Chief Judge for a 3 month period.
Chairperson of Gombe chapter of IFWL, Barr. Elizabeth Okotie who led the protest to Gombe Government House main gate, alleged gender preference, as well as religion bias as the reason for the sudden substitution of the female chief judge with an acting male chief judge.
But the the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Zubair Umar said there is no gender bias on the part of state government, adding that “it is the same governor that appointed Justice Beatrice Iliya as the Acting Chief Judge and her tenure elapsed, if the second most senior justice is a female the governor would have appointed her”.
He equally said religion has no place in the development as being insinuated, noting the former Chief Judge, Hakila Heyman who is a Christian, was on the seat for 20 years.
Umar warned against bringing in religion sentiment into it, adding that such allegation cannot stand.
“Is left for NJC to take decision on the matter and not the duty of the governor”.
The Justice Commissioner disclosed that it is the NJC that can recommend, if the Chief Judge should continue acting or not, noting that the governor acted constitutionally in swearing in Pindiga as the Acting Chief Judge being the second most senior as recommended by NJC following the 3-month tenure expiration of Justice Beatrice Iliya.
Thinking outside of the box in news gathering. Relating issues without bias, fundamentally a voice to the voiceless.
Thanks Anthony General and Commissioner of Justice Gombe state
If the governor is not religiously biased ,why did Njc fail to recommend her confirmation?, you can only deceive fools that blatantly refuse to recognise the truth