The NJC had, at its 78th meeting on September 29, recommended Umezuluike’s compulsory retirement to the state Governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi.
The decision followed findings made by the NJC after investigating petitions filed against Umezuluike in which he was accused of various acts of professional misconduct.
An Acting Chief Judge, Justice Priscilla Emehelu, has already been appointed as Umezuluike’s replacement.
Umezuluike’s woes deepened after he was arrested during a recent crackdown on judicial officers suspected of involvement in shady deals by the Department of State Services.
However, Umezuluike was praised by the Enugu lawmakers at a plenary on Tuesday, when they accepted a letter in which Ugwuanyi sought the House’s permission to send the former chief judge on compulsory retirement following the NJC decision.
The said letter was in line with the procedure for the removal of judicial officers from office, as stipulated in Section 292 (1) (a) of the 1999 Constitution.
Lawmakers, who spoke before the House resolved to accept the letter, expressed regrets over Umezuluike’s sacking.
They noted that he had served the state ‘meritoriously’, and would have retired ‘honourably’ in the next two months, had the NJC not sacked him.
The former chief judge was described as a ‘great man’, and a ‘good judge’.
The member representing Awgu-North in the House, Sunday Ude-Okoye, said Umezuluike discharged his duties creditably.
“NJC recommended his removal but he is a very good son of Awgu. Something has always happened to great men. He was a good judge, he performed creditably.
“It pained us, the Awgu and Greater Awgu people but there is nothing we can do about it,” the lawmaker said.
The NJC sacked Umezuluike after investigating an allegation that he received N10m, as donation from Prince Arthur Eze, during his book launch, while two cases in which Eze was interested in were pending before his court.
The council also investigated the allegation that, in Suit Number E/13/2008: Ajogwu V Nigerian Bottling Company Limited, Umezuluike delivered judgment on March 9, 2015, about 126 days after final addresses were adopted, contrary to constitutional provisions that judgments should be delivered within a period of 90 days.
The council equally considered the allegation that, in Suit Number E/159M/2014: Ezeuko Vs Probate Registrar, High Court of Enugu State and 3 Others, the former chief judge ordered the arrest of one Mr. Peter Eze by the police after the matter was amicably resolved and judgment entered on Terms of Settlement.
In another development, the Enugu State House of Assembly, ordered the Enugu State Universal Basic Education Board to immediately conduct a fresh recruitment towards the employment of 200 primary school teachers in the state.
A previous exercise conducted by ENSUBEB was cancelled by the House after 200 teachers had already been recruited.
The lawmakers said findings into complaints that trailed the exercise revealed that the recruitment was conducted in a shoddy manner.
The Permanent Secretary of ENSUBEB, Mrs. Rose Chiama, had earlier informed the lawmakers that the chairman of the board of the establishment, Chief Ikeje Asogwa, did not carry other members along in the exercise.
Asogwa denied the permanent secretary’s claims, and insisted that the state government, and even members of the House, were privy to the recruitment.
The state Commissioner for Education, Prof. Uche Eze, who was summoned by the lawmakers to answer questions concerning the development, also defended the recruitment, insisting that it was in order.
But, after considering a report submitted to the House by its Committee on Education, Science and Technology, which was mandated to look into the matter, the lawmakers on Tuesday passed a resolution, directing ENSUBEB to conduct a fresh recruitment.
The report, which was presented by the chairman of the committee, Matthew Ugwueze, recommended fairness and equity in the number of teachers employed from all the local councils in the state.
The report further recommended that qualified volunteer teachers should be considered for employment.
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