BY UCHECHI OKPORIE
The Court of Appeal in Owerri, Imo State, has dismissed a legal challenge that had blocked the appointment of judges in Abia State for four years, clearing the way for the resumption of judicial appointments in the southeastern Nigerian state.
In a ruling delivered on Wednesday, presiding Justice Ntong Ntong declared the application to halt the state’s judicial appointment process “without merit,” agreeing with his colleagues on the appellate panel.
The court’s decision follows an appeal against a 2024 National Industrial Court judgment that had permitted Abia’s government to begin a fresh round of judicial appointments, separate from the contentious 2022 process.
The applicants, who had been among those shortlisted for judicial positions in 2022, argued that the new process should be halted until the earlier disputes were resolved.
However, the Court of Appeal found that they failed to provide sufficient legal grounds or evidence that the 2024 appointment exercise violated their rights.
The judgment also ordered the applicants to pay damages of ₦1 million to the Abia State Attorney General and other affected parties.
According to state authorities, the ruling removes a significant barrier that has long hindered the functioning of the state’s judiciary and impeded the timely administration of justice.
