Ayade warns judges against compromise

Students flay gov’s large convoy to UNICAL
Cross River State Governor Benedict Ayade has warmed judges in the state against any act of compromise of justice along the line of duty.

Ayade issued the warning yesterday in Calabar while swearing in the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Tina Agbor, and two new high court judges, Prof. Victor Offiong and Justice Angela Obi, in his office.

He warned them to resist the temptation to compromise justice for any amount of money or political pressure.

“As a governor, if I have any reason to put pressure, I only put pressure for the right thing to be done,” he told the judges, adding that they had been elevated to the point where their morality and conscience would decide people’s fate.

“I use this opportunity to congratulate you and to speak to your soul. Apart from God, in the circular world, the bench is supreme. By your own decision, a man can be put behind bars and life can be taken.

“Your job is to carry out the service of God in your office. Any compromise that questions the imprisonment of an innocent person or injustice to an innocent person will hunt you for life,” said he.

Chief Judge (CJ) of the state, Justice Michael Edem, who handed over the new judges to the governor, noted that they had long awaited the swearing-in, “but it is better late than never.”

Meanwhile, students of the University of Calabar (UNICAL) have condemned the use of a large convoy by Governor Ayade to attend lectures, describing it as showmanship and unnecessary.

Ayade’s return to school for Masters in Law has attracted condemnation from some quarters.

Few days ago, a video going viral in Calabar showing the governor’s convoy of over 20 cars and armed security men caused distraction in the academic environment.

Some of the students, who spoke with The Guardian yesterday, condemned the governor’s large convoy and armed security men.

One of the students in the Faculty of Law, simply known as CJ, described Ayade’s return to school as an inspiration, but that the presence of armed security men and a large convoy was intimidating and unnecessary.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state had criticised the governor for returning to school to pursue a master’s in law, describing it as idle and lazy.

But the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Christian Ita, described the criticism as funny.

Ita said, “If they didn’t see anything wrong with Governor Nasir el-Rufai (of Kaduna) returning to school in 2017 in faraway Netherlands for his Ph.D, what then is wrong if Governor Ayade returns to school to add to his numerous degrees within Calabar, the state capital?”