Ejike George, a Chief Magistrate in the Rivers State Judiciary, has submitted his resignation, expressing his concerns regarding the appointment of a sole administrator to manage the state’s affairs.
Having dedicated sixteen years to the judiciary, George has described the appointment of a sole administrator as a form of “quasi-military administration”.
His resignation, dated April 11, 2025, was addressed to the Chief Judge of Rivers State through the Secretary of the Rivers State Judicial Service Commission.
In his letter, titled ‘Voluntary Retirement from Service’, George voiced his discontent with the current governance direction, labelling it as “alien” and “antithetical” to the principles of the legal profession.
The letter states, “This present is intended to convey my decision to voluntarily retire my appointment as Magistrate of the Judiciary of Rivers State.
“This difficult and regrettable decision is informed largely by my discomfort with the recent appointment of a quasi-military administration to run the affairs of a modern state like ours.
“Milord will agree with me that this type of governance system is not only alien but also runs antithetical to our hallowed profession as legal practitioners and adjudicators.
“Having put in a whopping 16 (sixteen) out of my 22 (twenty-two) years of legal practice into this Judiciary as Magistrate under successive democratic administrations, I find it difficult to work with the current setting, as doing so would amount to a tacit and naive acquiescence.
“Thanks Milord, for the opportunity to serve.”
