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| L-R: Maurice Eneji and Eyo O. Ekpo |
22 March 2020
Over the weekend, the Acting Chief Justice of Cross River State, Maurice Eneji was taunted by a former Commissioner for Justice and Attorney-General of the state, Eyo O. Ekpo for reportedly paying a visit to the Commissioner for Police, Cross River Command NEGROIDHAVEN can say authoritatively. Ekpo also drew attention to the fact that the head of the judiciary in the state genuflected before the police boss whom he observed hid office was officially superior to.
Ekpo who noted that the photographs featuring the two personalities were his saddest and most ironic argued that, ‘Chief Judges, State or Federal, in any democracy, do not go around paying official visits to heads of police. In the cultural context of Cross River State, Chief Judges do not bow and use both their hands to shake hands even with the InspectorGeneral of Police, speak less of a CP who is 3 levels below the IGP (as the first picture seems to indicate). Thank goodness, Mr. Akpan used both his hands too.’
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| His Lordship genuflecting before the Commissioner of Police |
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| CP Nkereuwem Akpan had a high profile guest. Wasn’t it unusual? Ekpo said it’s, do you agree with Ekpo or disagree? |
Continuing he said, ‘These pictures are simply unbecoming of the office of a Chief Judge. Mr. Eneji is trying too hard to ingratiate himself with all and sundry and in the process is destroying protocols and traditions of the office he occupies. If he’s publicly doing this with the CP, I can only wonder at what has passed between him and the Governor privately. This gentleman clearly does not appreciate the meaning of the office he illegally and unconstitutionally occupies.
‘Finally, the supreme irony of Mr. Eneji bowing and scrapping before a CP Akpan, who just happens to hail from Akwa Ibom State. I hope Hon. Chris Mbu-Ogar, honourable member of the Cross River State House of Assembly representing Etung State Constitutency, has taken note of this “security threat”‘.
Recall that Mr. Maurice Eneji was sworn in by Governor Ayade as Acting Chief Judge, and head of the Judiciary of Cross River State on 3rd March 2020. The police officer is Commissioner of Police, Cross River State, Nkereuwem Akpan. Mr. Eneji was reportedly paying an official courtesy call on Mr. Akpan, one that made history for all the wrong reasons.
