Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State said that the State Government would not establish a bill for the financial autonomy of the judiciary.
Wike maintained that since the 1999 Constitution as amended already recognises the independence of the judiciary, it would be futile to bother the State House of Assembly with such a bill.
The governor made this assertion on Tuesday at an honourary dinner of delegates to the 61st annual conference of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), held at the Banquet Hall, Government House, Port Harcourt.
In a statement issued by the media aide to the Rivers State Governor, Kelvin Ebiri, Governor Wike said that since the country does not practice a unitary system of government, it would be wrong for the Federal Government to issue directives to States on how they should run their affairs.
He maintained that “Nobody can force me on how my State will operate. Nobody can say send this bill to the legislature for judiciary autonomy. The constitution has already guaranteed that the judiciary must be independent, and we have agreed on that.
“Amendment had been done that the judiciary must be independent, and on first-line charge. If I’m not obeying that, there is a sanction for it.”
He explained that the State government had released all 2021 capital expenditure due to the judiciary since September, challenging the Federal Government to prove it has done the same as it urged it to desist from playing to the gallery with the issue of financial autonomy for the judiciary.
According to Wike, a Federal Government with decrepit High Court buildings across the country cannot truly claim it fully supports financial autonomy for the judiciary.
He asked: “Are they giving the judiciary at the federal level the budget they are supposed to have in order to put the courts in order?”
The governor warned that the Rivers State government would resist any attempt by the Federal Government to deduct funds meant for the State under the guise of implementing financial autonomy for the judiciary.
He stated that the NBA could not continue to be docile while the Federal Government uses security agencies to intimidate and harass judges.
According to him, “when the judiciary is destroyed, the legal profession is gone.”
Wike also took a swipe at the past leadership of the NBA for not protesting against the closure of courts in Rivers State for almost two years by the Chibuike Amaechi-led administration.
Speaking further, he applauded the Chairman of Council of Legal Education, Nigerian Law School, Emeka Ngige (SAN), for endorsing the establishment of the Port Harcourt campus of the Nigerian Law School.
In his remarks, the Speaker, Rivers State House of Assembly, Ikuinyi Owaji-Ibani, charged the NBA to all-time stand in defence of the interest of the people of the country.
On his part, the President of the NBA, Olumide Akpata (SAN), commended the Governor for his steadfast support for the judiciary and the Bar.
Akpata said Governor Wike’s conscientious support and defence of the judiciary was a pointer to his firm belief that the institution of State should be strengthened.
He stated that when the governor leaves office, posterity will remember him as a man who fervently contributed his quota to nation-building.
Chairman, Body of Senior Advocates of Nigeria in Rivers State and former NBA President Onueze C.J Okocha also lauded Governor Wike for his numerous landmark achievements in office.
