GOVERNOR UMO ENO APPOINTS FOUR NEW MEMBERS INTO AKWA IBOM JUDICIAL SERVICE COMMISSION

Akwa Ibom Judicial Service Commission has four new members following approval by Governor Pastor Umo Eno, PhD.

The appointments were announced in an official statement from the Office of the Secretary to the State Government. According to the statement signed by Prince Enobong Uwah, Secretary to the State Government, His Excellency the Governor approved the following persons as members of the Akwa Ibom State Judicial Service Commission: Hon. Justice Ekaette Obot (Rtd.), Mrs. Mfoniso Udofia, Barr. Nsikak Ikpeme and Barr. Aniefiok Udoh. The appointments take immediate effect.

This step fills key positions in a body that plays a central role in how the state judiciary operates.

The State Judicial Service Commission is set up under the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended. It is chaired by the Chief Judge of the state. Its other members include the Attorney General of the state as of right and other appointed persons of integrity, some of whom are legal practitioners with substantial experience and others who are not lawyers but are regarded as people of high standing in society. The balance is deliberate to ensure both professional depth and public trust.

The commission has clear responsibilities. It advises the National Judicial Council on suitable candidates for appointment as the Chief Judge of the state and as judges of the High Court. It also handles recommendations for the removal of those judicial officers when necessary, always subject to the Constitution and due process. Beyond that, the commission appoints, dismisses and exercises disciplinary control over the Chief Registrar and Deputy Chief Registrar of the High Court, magistrates, judges and members of the lower courts, and other staff of the judicial service who are not covered elsewhere in the Constitution.

In practical terms this means the commission deals with recruitment of judiciary staff, promotions, discipline and the day to day administrative support that keeps the courts running. When the commission is fully constituted and functional it can move faster on staffing needs, performance standards and the internal rules that guide how the judicial service works.

Akwa Ibom has seen ongoing efforts to strengthen its judiciary in the last two years. The current Chief Judge Hon. Justice Ekaette Fabian Obot has previously spoken about the need for clearer rules tailored to the state judicial service rather than relying only on general civil service regulations. She has set up a committee to draft Judicial Service Rules for the state. That committee is chaired by the Chief Judge herself and includes the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice Uko Udom SAN and other senior lawyers. The appointment of new members to the commission aligns with that push for stronger internal governance.

The Chief Judge also recently appealed for more staff for the judiciary, noting that last major recruitment was in 2012 and about 40 percent of workforce had left through retirement and death. She said the state had lost about 1900 staff in that period. Governor Umo Eno had approved recruitment of 1000 judiciary staff to start filling the gap. She thanked the governor for coming to the aid of the judiciary in settling accumulated debts and improving funding. She said, “In previous years, we had complained about the poor funding of the judiciary. However, this year, to our surprise, funds have been released.” She added that the governor has been magnanimous in resolving debts.

The appointment of four new members adds depth to the commission at a time when it needs to handle that recruitment, finalize rules, and oversee discipline and promotion. Hon. Justice Ekaette Obot (Rtd.) brings the perspective of someone who has served on the bench and understands court administration, judicial ethics and case management from inside. Retired judges on the commission often help with peer review and mentoring of magistrates.

Mrs. Mfoniso Udofia, Barr. Nsikak Ikpeme and Barr. Aniefiok Udoh join as the other new members. Their inclusion ensures the commission has the mix of judicial experience and legal practice that the Constitution anticipates for this kind of body. Barristers who have practiced substantially bring knowledge of bar and bench relations, litigation realities, and standards expected of court officials.

The statement from the Secretary to the State Government is straightforward. The Governor has approved the names and the appointments start at once. No further details on individual backgrounds were provided in the official release, and the focus remains on the fact of the appointments themselves.

A fully functional Judicial Service Commission supports the independence and efficiency of the courts. It helps ensure that magistrates and other judicial staff are selected, promoted and held accountable through a proper process. It also contributes to the larger goal of timely justice delivery by addressing administrative bottlenecks that can slow down the system. When vacancies in magistracy are filled quickly, when chief registrars are appointed on merit, when disciplinary issues are handled promptly, litigants benefit.

Governor Umo Eno’s approval of these four members is a concrete administrative step under his ARISE Agenda which lists justice sector reform as part of governance. It brings the Akwa Ibom State Judicial Service Commission closer to full strength so it can carry out its constitutional duties without delay. The new members are expected to begin work immediately alongside the existing leadership of the commission chaired by the Chief Judge and including the Attorney General.

This development forms part of the regular process of filling statutory bodies in the state. The judiciary remains one of the three arms of government, and the Judicial Service Commission is the specialised body charged with looking after its personnel and internal organisation. With the new appointments now in place the commission can proceed with its mandate of recruitment, discipline, recommendation of judges and setting internal standards.

The government has not announced a formal swearing in date for the new members but the statement says immediate effect, which means they are expected to be at the next meeting of the commission.

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