Will Not Enact Law For Financial Independence For Judiciary – Wike

Nyesom Wike, the governor of Rivers State, has declared that the state government will not pass any legislation giving the state judiciary financial autonomy.

According to the administration, the Nigerian judiciary already has independence under the 1999 constitution.

On Monday night, he made the remark at a luncheon in honor of attendees to the Nigerian Bar Association’s 61st annual conference, which was hosted at the banquet hall of Government House in Port Harcourt.

Because Nigeria does not have a unified government, the Governor believes it would be inappropriate for the federal government to make directions to states.

He said “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.”

Governor Wike also noted that his administration had released all the capital expenditure for 2021 since September.

He however challenged the federal government to prove it has done the same for the National judiacary arm of government.

Governor Wike, therefore, advised the Federal Government to stop “playing to the gallery” with the issue of financial autonomy for the judiciary.