Legal Practitioner Kicks Against Non Inclusion Of Some South East States As FCT Judges

A frontline legal practitioner in Imo State, Chief Barrister P. C. Mgbenwelu, popularly known as Egbendu, has kicked against the non-inclusion of some states of the South East geopolitical zone, namely: Imo, Abia and Ebonyi into the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Judiciary.

Mgbenwelu made his stand known while delivering his solemn speech during a Special High Court Session in honour of Late Barrister Chukwueloka Tim Okeke on Friday, February 23rd, at Justice Oputa High Court Complex, New Owerri, Imo State.

Speaking, the Oru-West-born legal practitioner averred that such composition did not only alienate a particular section of the country from national assignments, but contravened the spirit and letters of the Federal Character Act which seeks to promote national unity.

He continued that the obvious discrimination against the region, despite producing great and brilliant legal practitioners should be condemned, as he wondered how some states from the Northern and Western parts of the country should be considered for more slots, while some South Eastern states are not represented.

According to him, “The composition of the Government of the Federation or any of its agencies and the conduct of its affairs shall be carried out in such a manner as to reflect the Federal Character of Nigeria and the need to promote national unity, and also to command national loyalty, therefore assuring that there shall be no predominance of persons from a few states or from a few ethnic or other sectional groups in that Government or in any of its agencies.

“With the above conspicuous provision of our Constitution, how could it be explained, defended or taken for granted that three states out of the five states of the South East, namely: Imo, Abia and Ebonyi have not one single representation in the Federal Capacity Territory Judiciary as stipulated under the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja ( Number of Judges) Act 2003. This appears more as deliberate when some states such as Bauchi, Kogi and Oyo are being considered to have more than one slot in the Federal Capital Territory Judiciary.”

Furthermore, he disclosed that it became incumbent on him as the Cock of the Bar to speak out against the anomaly, adding such would have been the reactions of other legends in the Judiciary.