TheNigeriaLawyer Editorial
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On October 21st, Hon. Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, took a highly questionable step by launching a housing project for 40 judges in Abuja’s Katampe District. Wike proudly stated that the land had been licensed to Julius Berger Construction over 20 years ago but remained undeveloped, prompting him to revoke the license and repurpose the land. But beneath the surface of this supposedly “noble” project, serious concerns about integrity, impartiality, and political manipulation emerge.
Present at the event were Chief Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun and President of the Court of Appeal Monica Dongban-Mensem, adding a veneer of legitimacy to the event. Yet, the National Judicial Council (NJC)—the body that should rightly be responsible for judges’ welfare—was sidelined in favor of Wike’s direct involvement. Why was this project not entrusted to the NJC? The answer seems obvious: Wike, a controversial political figure, has vested interests that go far beyond mere “public service.”
Wike is no stranger to legal controversy in Nigeria. Numerous cases involving the Rivers State House of Assembly clash and the political battles between APC and PDP, his party, are still active in the courts, with many of them unfolding at the Federal High Court and even the Court of Appeal. Wike may not be an official party to these cases, but he has a long track record of public utterance, commentary and involvement, even backing his proxies as they file these suits using two former NBA Presidents and SANs to undermine the judiciary, which he often refers to as having “good lawyers” by his standards, while referring to judges who rule on ex parte orders without putting defendants on notice as “sound judges.” How convenient that a politician with ongoing legal entanglements would choose to build houses for the very judges who may preside over matters that could impact his political future.
Even more disturbingly, while Wike claims to have the right to build these houses, he appears to believe he also has the right to allocate them. He said out of the 40 units to be constructed, 20 will be allocated to the FCT High Court, 10 to the Federal High Court, and 10 to the Court of Appeal, illustrating how he plans to assign the proposed houses to the judges of various courts. This overreach not only undermines the decorum and integrity of the judiciary but could easily be interpreted as an attempt to buy favor. Judges, whose independence is paramount, now find themselves indebted to a political figure with stakes in multiple lawsuits—a clear conflict of interest that should alarm anyone concerned with the separation of powers.
The irony in Wike’s justification for building judicial housing cannot be overlooked. His claim of protecting the judiciary from manipulation rings hollow when the very act of providing and distributing houses to judges constitutes a clear form of influence over an supposedly independent institution. The contrast is striking – no such grand statements about institutional protection were made during the completion of the Vice President’s residence. This scenario unfortunately demonstrates how the judiciary has potentially compromised its independence by accepting such politically-linked benefits. Any executive branch building houses for judges amounts to judicial interference. It is a clear case of judicial capture. Judges should rent or buy houses like other citizens, especially considering their salaries were increased by 300%, despite the economic hardship facing most Nigerians
Wike’s decision to take control of this project, while excluding the Ministry of Justice, reeks of political opportunism. His sudden interest in the welfare of the judiciary, especially while he is involved in high-stakes legal battles, raises serious red flags about his motives; is he building houses to shelter judges, or is he building influence and leverage over the very system meant to hold him accountable?
Moreover, Wike’s revocation of Julius Berger’s land license introduces yet another layer of scandal Land grabbing. Should the construction company contest the revocation, the case would inevitably go to the courts—courts that now stand to benefit from the same land at the center of the dispute. How can the public trust that such a case would be handled impartially? This is not just a speculative concern but a direct threat to judicial neutrality. And it sends a wrong message to foreign investors: if even the judiciary can be compromised by political power plays, what guarantees are there for fairness in legal disputes involving international businesses?
What should have been a straightforward project to address the long-standing needs of judges has instead morphed into a political scandal. Wike’s actions, far from being a “solution,” are a clear and present danger to Nigeria’s judiciary. They undermine judicial independence, open the door to corruption, and tarnish the credibility of an already fragile system.
If Wike truly cared about the integrity of Nigeria’s institutions, he would hand over the project to the Ministry of Justice and allow the proper authorities to manage it without political interference. But given his track record, it is hard not to see this as an orchestrated attempt to position himself favorably within the judicial system.
What will happen when judges benefit from this 40-unit housing scheme? Can anyone with a case against Minister Wike appear before these judges? Will there be fair hearing? These questions are left for public opinion to decide. Additionally, what happened to the judiciary budget, which was increased from N162 billion to N342 billion for the 2024 fiscal year? Where did it go? Is it a hoax?.
At a time when public confidence in the judiciary is already wavering, Wike’s actions do nothing but further erode trust in one of Nigeria’s most critical institutions. The judiciary must not only be independent but be seen to be independent, and Wike’s involvement puts that independence in serious jeopardy. His move raises far more questions than it answers, and the public deserves transparency, not political maneuvering.
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