Nigeria, April 4 -- The National Judicial Council (NJC) on Friday disowned Imo State Governor Hope Uzodinma's unilateral appointment of Theophilus Nzeukwu as the state's acting Chief Judge.

In a press statement signed by its Deputy Director of Information, Kemi Ogedengbe, the NJC said it received Governor Uzodinma's letter requesting approval of the appointment of his nominee for the judicial position but has yet to consider it.

The statement noted that Mr Uzodinma picked Mr Nzeukwu, who is the fourth on the hierarchy of the state's High Court judges, to replace the former Chief Judge of the state, T. E. Chukwuemeka Chikeka, who was sent on compulsory retirement last November for age falsification.

It added that Mr Uzodinma, in his let...