By Kolawole Ojebisi
The Rivers state judiciary has denied reports making the rounds that Simeon Amadi, the chief judge of the state, is planning to embark on a year leave.
The reports started gaining traction on Wednesday when an online news platform claimed that Amadi announced the one-year leave amid the political crisis in the state.
The report claimed that the purported move is seen as a setback to the rumoured impeachment of Siminalayi Fubara, governor of Rivers.
However, in a statement issued by the Chief Registrar of the state High Court, David Ihua-Maduenyi, the allegation was described as “malicious, misleading, false and baseless”.
Ihua-Maduenyi said the Rivers CJ neither announced any form of leave nor is he planning to embark on one.
“The Rivers State Judiciary categorically and unequivocally refute this malicious, misleading, false and baseless allegation against the person and the office of the Chief Judge of Rivers State, Hon. Justice Simeon Chibuzor Amadi (DSSRS),” the statement reads.
“For the records, the chief judge did not at any time announce nor intend to announce embarking on any recess or extended recess leave by whatsoever name called, as such leave is alien to the judicial officers calendar of vacations.
“The vacation calendar of judicial officers is of public knowledge, namely: Christmas vacation, Easter vacation and annual vacation.
“The public is hereby advised to utterly disregard this misguided publication aimed at causing ill-will, disaffection, and confusion in the state.”
Rivers is currently embroiled in a political crisis over the rift between Fubara and Nyesom Wike, minister of the federal capital territory (FCT).
The feud has polarised the Rivers house of the assembly and by extension prominent politicans in the state.
On February 28, the Supreme Court ordered the Martin Amaewhule-led faction of the state house of assembly and other elected members of the house to resume sitting.
The apex court also affirmed the judgment of a federal high court that barred the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the accountant-general of the federation from releasing statutory monthly allocations to Rivers.
The Amaewhule-led faction of the Rivers assembly is loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike.
