On Tuesday, October 29, Justice John Tsoho, Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, will testify before a probe panel from the National Judicial Council (NJC) regarding judgments related to the political crisis in Rivers. He is expected to address concerns raised in petitions by lawyers and litigants, particularly focusing on why cases originating from Rivers are being heard in Abuja rather than the Port Harcourt division.
Lawyer Femi Falana had recently questioned this practice in a letter to the Chief Judge, emphasizing that there are five judges available in the Port Harcourt division. He highlighted ongoing suspicions that judgments are being improperly secured in Abuja.
Although this issue was presented in court, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, who was handling one of the cases, denied a request for her to recuse herself, asserting that only the Chief Judge has the jurisdiction to assign cases.
It is also notable that the election petition tribunals for Bayelsa, Kogi, Imo, and Rivers convened in Abuja to protect the safety of judges and their staff amid political tensions. Furthermore, the Chief Judge of the Rivers State High Court is expected to appear before the NJC panel next week to explain the issuance of conflicting orders by some state judges.