Don’t be intimidated by other arms of govt, Wike tells judiciary

By Shola O’NEIL, Port Harcourt

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has called on the Judiciary to always dispense justice according to the law, pointing out that the judiciary must not allow itself to be intimidated by other arms of government.

Speaking during a courtesy visit by the President of the Court of Appeal,  Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa at the Government House, Port Harcourt,  Governor Wike said that the judiciary remains vital to the sustenance of democracy.

He said: “You are the ones to decide what is right or wrong. Never allow anyone to intimidate you.  The moment you take the oath of office, dispense justice according to the law.

“People are afraid to dispense justice because of intimidation.  In some cases, they use the EFCC to intimidate judges. Whether or not you do your work, they will come after you. Without the Judiciary, there will be no democracy “.

Governor Wike said that the executive and legislative arms of government are far more corrupt than the judiciary,  but they are the arms that criticise the judiciary all the time.

“The most corrupt arms of government are the executive and legislative arms. When they say that the judiciary is corrupt,  I laugh.  The pressure on the judiciary is from the executive and legislative arms.  The people who initiate the process are the ones who are corrupt “, he said.

Speaking further,  the Rivers  State Governor called on the President Court of Appeal to increase the number of judges in the Port Harcourt Division because it is second only to the Lagos Division in terms of volume of cases.

He congratulated the retiring President of the Court of Appeal,  Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa for attaining the retirement age. He commended her for the contributions she has made to the growth of the court.

Earlier, the President Court of Appeal of Nigeria,  Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa said that she was in Rivers State as part of the process for her to bow out of the Court, having reached the retirement age of 70 years.

She commended the Rivers State Governor  for the upgrade and remodelling of befitting accommodation for Court of Appeal justices of the Port Harcourt Division.