NJC holds emergency session on Rivers CJ, decides to submit to court process

The National Judicial Council (NJC), on Monday held an emergency session over the suspended Rivers State Chief Judge, Justice Peter Agumagu.
The emergency meeting was decided on last Friday, though, the council had originally scheduled a meeting for April 28 and 29.
Nigerian Tribune gathered that the council decided to allow all the cases in court to run their full course before deciding his fate.
Justice Agumagu neither replied the query issued him by the council nor appear before the probe panel set up by the council to investigate the allegation of misconduct leveled against him.
It was reportedly decided at Monday’s meeting that his suspension should continue to run, since no court order had reversed it.
Agumagu is challenging the suspension in a suit before a Federal High Court in Abuja, headed by Justice Adeniyi Ademola.
Members of the probe panel were also sued, with the plaintiff seeking an order restraining them from sitting and deciding his case.
There has been a controversy whether Justice Ademola granted an order staying the suspension from being given effect.
While counsel for Agumagu, Chief Akinlolu Olujinmi SAN wrote to the council and the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Aloma Mukhtar that the restraining order was granted, Justice Ademola denied granting same.
The state currently runs without an acting or substantive CJ, with the state government vowing to back Agumagu all the way despite being on suspension.
Senior judges heading divisions of the state judiciary are currently relating with the council on behalf of the judges in the state judiciary.