Ayade To Swear In Justice Michael Edem As Acting Cross River CJ Today

By Jonathan Ugbal: Government House Correspondent

Cross River Governor, Senator Ben Ayade will today swear in Justice Michael Edem as the acting Chief Judge of Cross River State.

Justice Edem’s appointment is pursuant to Section 271, sub-section 4 and 6 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria a statement issued by the Governor’s spokesperson, Christian Ita said.

The event is slated for 10:00AM at the EXCO Chambers of the Governor’s office in Calabar and comes barely 24 hours after the governor had approved his appointment as an acting Chief Judge of the state.

He was the Divisional Judge in Ikom judicial division until his appointment.

Edem’s appointment follows the demise of Justice Okoi Ikpi Itam on Saturday, March 18, 2017 after a brief illness at the age of 63.

The Governor had led a delegation of sympathisers to the Late Chief Judge residence Saturday morning.

Justice Itam was appointed Judge of the High Court of Cross River State in 1991, 14 years after he was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1977.

He had previously served as the Chief Justice of the Republic of Gambia and his last ruling according to sources was the striking out of a suit by the All Progressives Congress in Cross River State among others, seeking to bar Governor Ayade from appointing caretaker chairmen for the 18 local government areas in the state.