BY ANAYO OKOLI

UMUAHIA — Abia State House of Assembly has screened and confirmed Justice Nnenna Chioma Oti as the substantive chief judge of the state.

This is coming four years after the state last had a substantive chief judge.

Justice Nnenna Oti, currently the Administrative Judge of Aba, is the most senior judge in the state and had in the past acted as the state’s Acting Chief Judge.

Speaker of the House f Assembly, Chief Ude Chukwu, said Justice Oti performed very well during the screening.

The House, therefore, urged the governor, Chief Theodore Orji, to swear her in as the substantive Chief  Judge of the state.

During the screening, Oti, promised to work hard to reposition the judiciary in the state.

With the confirmation of Justice Nnenna Oti, the state would end the running of the judiciary with Acting Chief Judge, which started in 2010 after the retirement of the last substantive Chief Judge, Justice Sunday Imo.

At least five judges, including late Justice Ijeoma Offonry, Justice Nnenna Oti, Justice Uzoukwu, Justice Shedrack Nwanosike and Justice Stella Nwakanma, had acted in acting capacity.