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Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, has dismissed allegations suggesting that the construction of housing for judges in Abuja is a strategy to sway them for political leverage. He emphasized that such claims are baseless and do not reflect the true purpose behind the project.
Wike emphasized that the construction of residences for judges is not a policy under his direct authority but a welfare initiative devised by President Bola Tinubu. He further noted that the aim of this project is to reinforce judicial independence across the country.
In a media discussion on Wednesday, Wike clarified that the judges’ housing initiative had been officially included in the 2024 budget. He pointed out that his involvement in the project is merely to carry out the necessary implementation, as mandated by his position.
Wike explained: “(Tinubu said) ‘Where are the judges living? They have no homes and therefore open to political manipulation and for me as a president who wants to guaranty the independence of the judiciary judges must have their homes’.
“I am not Mr President; I am only lucky to be appointed as a minister under this administration and who is in the position to implement his policies. And Mr President said, look, this is what he wants, come up and see what we can do.
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“It was approved by Mr President, sent to the National Assembly in the 2024 budget that there should be construction of judges and Justices quarters. That they should move judges from where they are renting houses, living among criminals.
“A policy anybody should commend Mr President, it is in the budget of 2024, appropriated by the National Assembly, assented to by Mr President which is a law. What is the problem? I am only the implementor, go and implement this.
“Federal Executive Council approved the contract and everything, it is not my policy, how will you now want to kill me that I am implementing what the Federal Government approved?”
Wike strongly defended the project, asserting that even if it had been his idea to provide housing for judges, it would not have been a problem. He recalled that, as the governor of Rivers State, he had initiated comparable housing programs to support public servants.
The former Rivers State governor lamented the criticisms for this project instead of commendations, especially from those in the legal profession.
