8 October 2020
Michael Nku Abuo the Director General, State Migration Control Agency, has apologised publicly to Victor Ndoma-Egba SAN a former leader of the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, over the controversy surrounding the occupation of the Office of the State Chief Judge NEGROIDHAVEN has learnt.
Abuo while apologising said his words were unsavoury, emotional, poor construction but not personal. His words reads in part ‘…I wasn’t comfortable about Sen Ndoma talking down on the person of the Governor, our Governor publicly! As an elder statesman and one with unfettered access to His Excellency, it was sad to note his perception, mode of expression and choice of words as it relates to the Governor on the said subject matter. I hold nothing personal about him or his expressing his opinion on whatever matter he wishes.’
Before apologising, Abuo had said the very recent position held by Ndoma-Egba on the debate was unelderly, a rant. He stretched his diatribe against the renowned lawyer by alleging that Ndoma-Egba had failed to curry public acceptance despite spending over 20 years in public service. According to him ‘The unelderly rant of Sen Victor Ndoma about the CJ lacuna is a futile escapade to gain public acceptance which he has failed to achieve in his over 20yrs in public service’.
Recall that NEGROIDHAVEN had reported that At the valedictory session in honour of Late Elder Barrister Oriri Ekom Oriri that was presided over by Justice Ayade Emmanuel Ayade at the High Court Complex, Calabar Ndoma-Egba said the judiciary of Cross River State is passing through a most needless and indeed useless crisis of succession: ‘I say needless and useless because if we had simply done what is right we will not be in this quagmire, Justice, fairness and correctness are without colour. They are unisex and are without tribe or ethnic coloration. Therefore to ethnicise justice in anyway, especially by us lawyers is to betray and belittle our calling.’
Recall that the 9th Cross River State House of Assembly CRSHA after a heated debated Monday 2nd March 2020, rejected the National Judicial Council’s NJC nomination of Honourable Justice Akon Ikpeme to the office of Chief Judge of Cross River State, on grounds that she is from Akwa Ibom State and therefore a security risk.
The State since then has been without a Chief Judge with the appointment of an acting Chief Judge in Justice Maurice Eneji.
