The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad, has summoned six Chief Judges in the country over the conflicting court orders that emanated in their states in the last one month.
Justice Mohammad who is also the chairman, National Judicial Council (NJC), issued the summons to the Chief Judges in Abuja on Monday.
According to the summons, the affected Chief Judges are to appear before him as a prelude to appearing before the NJC, to explain what warranted issuance of conflicting orders by courts of coordinate jurisdiction.
The Chief Judges expected to appear before the NJC are those of Rivers,Kebbi, Cross River, Anambra, Jigawa and Imo States.
It was gathered that the CJN complained bitterly on the huge embarrassment caused the Nigeria’s judiciary by the actions of those who issued the conflicting orders upon ex-parte applications by some politicians.
The summon reads in part, “My attention has been drawn to media reports to the effect that some courts of coordinate jurisdiction were granting conflicting Exparte Orders on the same subject matter.
“It has become expedient for me to invite you for a detailed briefing on the development.
“This is even more compelling having regard to earlier NJC Warning to judicial officers on the need to be circumspect in granting Exparte applications.”
A source, who pleaded anonymity, confided in our correspondent that the meeting between the CJN and the Heads of Court concerned is a prelude to the larger NJC meeting likely to hold next week.
The CJN, who was reported to be worried and bitter on the unfortunate development, intends to use the meeting to get some facts for an informed NJC deliberation.
Culled from the Leadership News
