To those that see the whole lot with the imprint of their hatred for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, constructing official residence for judges within the FCT is the rationale they lose instances in Courtroom. Certainly one of such individuals is one Hassan Husaini, who wrote an article titled; “The Corrosive Reign: Nyesom Wike’s Subversion of Regulation and Democracy in Nigeria .”
Although unknown, Hassan Husaini is like one other voice of those that have elected to sentence something Wike. He clearly represents those that would quite have judges dwell in face-me-I-face-You flats the place their safety can be within the fingers of their co-tenants. Motive the content material of his diatribe deserves to be responded to.
Most significantly, although the writeup was a transparent try at promoting outright falsehood to the general public, it’s crucial that the author, simply as others earlier than him, shouldn’t be allowed the liberty to pollute the minds of unsuspecting members of the general public together with his lies.
First, it’s to the credit score of Wike, that there’s a Regulation Faculty in Port Harcourt, Rivers State in the present day. Whereas his predecessor, Rotimi Amaechi, rejected the proposition to determine a Regulation Faculty in Rivers State, Wike not solely acquired a legislation faculty established in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, he additionally contributed immensely to the infrastructural growth of the Regulation Faculty in Bayelsa State.
As Governor of Rivers State, Wike had attended the decision to bar ceremony on the Abuja Campus of the Nigerian Regulation Faculty. The dangerous state of infrastructure within the Abuja campus that he noticed spurred the intervention within the Yenagoa, Bayelsa State campus of the Regulation Faculty.
He had approached the Regulation Faculty Director Normal, providing to intervene within the Abuja campus, however the Director Normal instructed him that the scenario in Yenagoa campus was worse and he ought to intervene there.
Promptly, the Rivers State authorities beneath Wike constructed 900 mattress house hostels and 1,500 capability auditorium for college students in Yenagoa campus. He later constructed a model new campus in Port Harcourt.
Now, are the amenities within the legislation faculty in Bayelsa State and the one in Port Harcourt being loved by kids of judges and people of Wike?
Late final yr, the FCT Minister flagged off the development of 10 employees quarters for the Abuja campus of the Regulation Faculty. He additionally donated Toyota Hilux to the varsity.
Now, within the warped opinion of Hassan Husaini and his ilks, Wike’s optimistic interventions within the Abuja and Bayelsa campuses of the Regulation Faculty in addition to the institution of the Port Harcourt Campus, was to deprave and affect the judiciary in all probability as a result of solely kids and kin of judges are attending the Regulation Faculty and utilizing the amenities.
If not, how does placing infrastructure in Regulation Faculty affect the judiciary in favor of Wike?
Within the FCT, the Wike-led Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) is developing new Courtroom buildings, it’s constructing official residence for judges and offering crucial facilities, together with roads.
The homes being constructed for judges usually are not private, they’re official. They’re properties of the FCTA, that can solely be utilized by judges whereas serving within the FCT.
So how is offering official residence for judges similar as in search of to affect the judiciary?
Upon nomination by the President, it’s the obligation of the Nationwide Meeting to display and make sure the Chief Justice of Nigeria. It’s also the obligation of the Nationwide Meeting to acceptable cash for the judiciary. By performing their duties as prescribed by the Structure, ought to we additionally say that the President and the Nationwide Meeting members are in search of to affect the judiciary?
When some safety males, performing beneath the instruction of the federal government tried to raid a home belonging to Justice Mary Odili, Wike was among the many first individuals to reach on the scene to repel them. To Wike, a Supreme Courtroom choose shouldn’t be so ridiculed. If there was something in opposition to her, she ought to have been invited by means of the suitable channel. However to the haters of something Wike, that brave effort was aimed influencing the courtroom. How?
William Howard Taft served because the twenty seventh president of america (1909 to 1913). He was additionally the tenth Chief Justice of america (1921 to 1930). In different phrases, Taft was first President of america, and later the Chief Justice
In 1912, the identical President Taft proposed a brand new Supreme Courtroom constructing. In 1929, it was the USA authorities that bought the Nationwide Girl’s Occasion headquarters and razed it for the brand new constructing. The Courtroom constructing was designed by Architect Cass Gilbert, a pal to President Taft. Then, nobody accused the President Taft of in search of to assemble a brand new Supreme Courtroom constructing to affect the judiciary. Fairly, the construction is now a nationwide monument.
In the identical United States, Supreme Courtroom justices are appointed in keeping with political social gathering’s affiliation. They’re divided sharply alongside partisan strains with justices appointed by Republican presidents taking more and more conservative positions and people appointed by Democrats taking average liberal positions. But, we don’t get to see residents of America climbing the rooftop to accuse anybody of in search of to affect the judiciary.
However right here in Nigeria, litigants who in all probability did not prosecute their instances diligently or those that went to courtroom on issues which might be clearly spelt out within the Structure should blame the judiciary. They need to blame their failure on a Wike, who is just finishing up his duty of offering an enabling atmosphere for judges to do their jobs. They need to search for one obscured Hassan Husaini to vituperate. However does Wike actually cares? No, he doesn’t.
What Wike cares about is the efficiency of his duties, and even probably the most ardent of his critics can’t however agree that he’s doing nicely.
Abdullahi Usman, a public affairs commentator lives in Kano and writes from town.