Wike accuses Nigerian govt of dishonesty over institution of judicial autonomy

There seems to be no end in sight over the industrial action embarked upon by judicial workers over financial autonomy for the judiciary.

This logjam has elicited a reaction from the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike who criticised the Federal Government of politicising the situation at the detriment of the system.

Wike made this assertion on Thursday during the inauguration and handover of the National Industrial Court Judges’ Quarters in Old Government Residential Area, Port Harcourt.

According to the governor, under a federal system of government, it is only the executive arm of government, of all the tiers, that has the powers to present the annual budget to either State or National Assembly and also sign it into law.

Read also: Wike, ex-Commissioner in war of words on live TV programme

The report that a committee was instituted with the mandate to sign budgetary allocations for the judiciary is purely unconstitutional, Wike noted.

“Is it true that the Federal Government wants the autonomy of the judiciary? If the federal Government wants the autonomy of the judiciary, how can a government say that the courts should be shut down for almost two months now. Which country can survive when its courts are shut down for two months?”

Speaking further, the governor said his administration has fully implemented the autonomy for the judiciary and the legislature with releases of their financial entitlements as captured in the budget up till 2021.

Wike explained that the funds released by Rivers State Government to the judiciary far exceeds the planned deductions by the Federal Government.

By Mayowa Oladeji…

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