The Chief Judge of Akwa Ibom State, Justice Ekaete Fabian-Obot, has made a passionate appeal to Governor Umo Eno to recruit more staff into the state judiciary.
Obot made the appeal during the opening of the 2025/2026 Legal Year in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, stating that the call had become necessary due to the rapidly depleting number of judiciary staff through retirement and, in some cases, death.
The chief judge, who commended the governor for recently approving the recruitment of 1,000 judiciary staff, noted that the number would not fully fill the gap, as the ministry had already lost about 1,900 staff.
Her words: “The last recruitment into Akwa Ibom State Judiciary was in 2012 and that 40 per cent of the workforce had since left the judiciary. It is with a heart full of joy that I announce that our benevolent leader and governor in the person of Pastor Umo Bassey Eno has granted leave for the employment of 1,000 (one thousand) staff, though we have lost over 1,900 (one thousand nine hundred) staff during the period in view. At the risk of sounding like Oliver Twist, though we are very grateful, we trust that our Governor with the golden heart will grant us more opportunities for employment in the coming years.”
The chief judge also announced that, following directives from the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Hon. Justice Kudirat Kerere-Ekun, on the Judicial Service Rules, she has set in motion the process to make rules for the State Judicial Service Commission, constituting a six-member committee.
She said the committee, chaired by herself, includes the Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice, Uko Udom (SAN), Imowo Okpokpo, Dr Emmanuel Akpan, and Christopher Emmanuel as members, while the former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Uyo, Prof Enefiok Essien, SAN, serves as the committee secretary.
Reviewing the judiciary’s activities in the 2024/2025 legal year, the CJ expressed satisfaction that the funding crisis and accumulated debts had been resolved, appreciating the governor for his interventions—not only providing a soft landing by scheduling debt payments throughout the year, but also ensuring an upward review of the judiciary’s subvention and releasing funds for capital projects.
The chief judge also revealed that the judiciary had surpassed the expected revenue for the previous legal year by 119.33%, generating N117,106,012.92 (one hundred and seventeen million, one hundred and six thousand, twelve naira, and ninety-two Kobo compared with the expected N98,133,333.32 (ninety-eight million, one hundred and thirty-three thousand, three hundred and Thirty-Three Naira, Thirty-Two Kobo).
She said: “In the year under review, the sum of N98,133,333.32 (ninety-eight million, one hundred and thirty-three thousand, three hundred and thirty-three naira, thirty-two Kobo) was passed and approved as expected revenue for Akwa Ibom State Judiciary.
“During the year, the Revenue Unit was able to generate the sum of N117,106,012.92 (one hundred and seventeen million, one hundred and six thousand, and twelve naira, ninety-two Kobo), exceeding the approved provision by N18,972,679.60 (eighteen million, nine hundred and seventy-two thousand, six hundred and seventy-nine naira, sixty kobo), representing an increase of 119.33 per cent.”
Meanwhile, Governor Umo Eno, during the special inter-denominational church service held earlier at The Believers Assembly Nigeria to mark the opening of the 2025/2026 legal year, pledged his administration’s continued commitment to a strong working relationship with the judiciary.
He said: “We have chosen collaboration in place of contention, we have respected and maintained the boundaries between our two arms as enshrined in the principles of Separation of Powers, and the result has been a seamless relationship that puts the interest of our people at the centre of our engagements.”
The legal week, which began last Thursday, also featured a health walk and a friendly football match between the judiciary football team and the Nigerian Correctional Service, Akwa Ibom State command.
