The Imo House of Assembly proposed on Thursday that the state’s Chief Judge, Justice Theresa Chukwuemeka-Chikeka, be removed for misconduct and alleged age falsification under Section 292 of the Constitution.
During a plenary session in the House of Assembly, a two-thirds majority of lawmakers overwhelmingly voted in favour of the recommendations of the house ad hoc committee formed to investigate a petition filed by a civil society group under the auspices of the Civil Society Engagement Platform against the chief judge for age falsification.
The report requested that the governor, Hope Uzodimma, remove Justice Chukwuemeka-Chikeka from office for alleged wrongdoing under Section 292 of the Federal Republic of Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution (as amended).
The House also recommended that the resolution be forwarded to the National Judicial Council (NJC) for further action.
Earlier, the House set up a four-member ad hoc committee to conduct a proper investigation and provide a detailed report following a petition from the Civil Society Engagement Platform (CSEP). The petition, titled “Petition Against The Chief Judge of Imo State, Hon Justice Theresa Chukwuemeka Chikeka For Age Falsification,” alleged age falsification, a serious criminal offense that has led to the dismissal and prosecution of other judges by the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC).
According to Section 292(1)(a)(ii) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the petition was referred to the ad hoc committee, comprising Hon Ikenna Ihezue (chairman), Hon Bernard Ozoemenam (member), Rt Hon Clinton Amadi (member), and Hon Ebonine Beneath (member), with Mrs. Anne Martins Ezirim as the committee clerk.
In its investigation, the committee invited relevant persons and institutions to provide oral and documentary submissions, which formed the basis of its recommendations considered by the whole House.
Justice Chukwuemeka-Chikeka declined the committee’s invitation, citing the 1999 Constitution and stating she would only appear before an NJC panel.
The Civil Society Engagement Platform (CSEP) was represented by its director of investigations, Comrade Ndubuisi Onyemaechi, who confirmed and supported the petition.
The ad hoc committee contacted the Head of Service of Imo State, the Secretary of the Imo State Judicial Service Commission, the Secretary to the Council of Legal Education, and the Director of Administration of the Nigerian Law School to verify the Chief Judge’s birth date as recorded when she was admitted to the Nigerian Law School in 1981 and when she began working in the Imo State Civil Service in 1993.
Written responses from the Secretary to the Council and Director of Administration of the Nigerian Law School, as well as the Head of Service of Imo State, were received by the committee. These submissions confirmed that Chief Judge Theresa Chukwuemeka-Chikeka had altered her birth date from October 27, 1956, to October 27, 1958, via a statutory declaration of age sworn in 2006, long after she had filled in her original date of birth on her law school form. This statutory declaration was submitted to the Judicial Service Commission.
Based on these findings, the ad hoc committee determined that Chukwuemeka-Chikeka had committed misconduct and recommended her removal from office by the Governor of Imo State. The committee also recommended that the House resolution on her removal be sent to the NJC for further action.
These recommendations were unanimously adopted by all 19 members present and voting in the Committee of the Whole House.