Imo Attorney-General Raises Concern Over NJC’s Alleged Constitutional Overreach In Chief Judge Appointment

The Imo State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Paul Obinatu, has accused the National Judicial Council (NJC) of constitutional overreach over its reported directive to the state’s Judicial Service Commission (JSC) on the appointment of a substantive Chief Judge.
Obinatu argued that the NJC lacks the constitutional authority to dictate which candidate the Imo State JSC should nominate or submit for consideration in the appointment process.
In a statement issued on November 6, 2026, the Attorney-General said the directive, reportedly issued at the NJC’s 112th meeting on November 3, amounted to interference in the independent constitutional responsibilities of the state com...