Umuahia – The Chaplain, Queen Elizabeth Hospital Chapel, Umuahia, Rev. Earnest Onyeukwu has urged the judiciary to correct conflicting judgments in a singular case to restore the hope of the common man in the system.
Onyeukwu gave the counsel on Thursday during a service to mark the beginning of the 2025 Legal Year.
In his sermon titled, “Are You Not Provoked By Our Present Day Justice System, Onyeukwu said such conflicting interpretations erode the pride of the people in the country’s judicial system.
Quoting from the Scripture, the cleric said when Paul came to the city of Athens and saw all shades of idols and one dedicated to an “Unknown God”, the apostle became disturbed and addressed the issue.
Onyeukwu said the judiciary should take a lesson from that and correct the anomalies, alleging that most judicial workers were no longer faithful.
“The Judiciary should not twist the law; not to apply favoritism in their actions and not to receive bribes but to be upright in order to ensure the country’s challenges were resolved,” he said.
He thanked the Abia Judiciary for finding it worthwhile to appear before God to acquire strength for the Legal Year, adding that such was not obtainable in all professions.
Onyeukwu praised the few judicial workers who were still standing upright and prayed that God would cause them to be identified and emplaced to higher positions.
Governor Alex Otti of Abia State thanked the preacher for being a tool in God’s hands to prick people’s consciences and restore a God-fearing mindset capable of causing enduring development.
The governor, who thanked the judiciary for remaining steadfast, said the legal year was a time for the judicial workers to celebrate.
Otti said that the Abia Judiciary had shown its capacity to work independently alongside the executive without any clashes.
He said he aligned with the Chief Judge’s quest for meritocracy in legal system displayed in a recent appointments of some judicial officers in the state.
Otti said the legal year’s theme, “Reforming Abia State Justice Sector In The Digital Era” was apt, adding that he had signed some policies that would launch the judiciary into a digital era.
He said, while declaring the Legal Year opened, that the new 17 court complexes being built by the state government would soon be inaugurated.
