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We’ve Fulfilled Our Promises To Judiciary, Wike Declares
Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, has said that in the last seven and half years, his administration has diligently supported the Judiciary to discharge its constitutional mandate.
The governor said all the promises his administration made to the people concerning the Judiciary have been fulfilled with impressive achievements beyond the imagination of many.
Wike made the assertion in his remarks at the 2022/23 Legal Year opening ceremony at the Rivers State Judiciary Complex, Port Harcourt, last Wednesday.
The governor noted that as the third arm of government, the Judiciary plays a critical role in advancing the rule of law, justice and good governance.
He noted that on assumption of office in 2015, his administration met a Judiciary in Rivers State that was at crossroads.
“The State High Court had no chief judge, leadership, or direction for nearly two years. The governor then attempted to impose a chief judge on the state outside due process. When this devious attempt was resisted, he instigated a phantom crisis and closed down the state’s courts until he left office.
“We knew that the ensuing social and economic anarchy would ruin Rivers State without functional courts to uphold and defend the rule of law. Beyond the crisis, we also inherited a Judiciary neglected to the hilt, dilapidated and inadequate courthouses, and unpaid salary arrears.
“Our first task was to revive the Judiciary and ensure the speedy administration of justice. Without wasting time, we appointed the first female chief judge for the state, reopened the courts, and restored judicial services from our first day in office.”
He explained that his administration began rehabilitating the existing courthouses and built new ones for the State High Court.
Wike added that within the first year in office, he provided a new Special Utility Vehicles (SUVs) to judges as official cars, which have since been replaced since 2019.
The governor said that prior to his administration, judges in the state were faced with the challenge of lack of retirement home.
According to him, the government considered it morally wrong for the state to evict judges from their official quarters and force them to rented apartments after they retired from service.
“We, therefore, enacted the Judicial Officers Housing Scheme Law, and took over the responsibility of providing life-long residences for Rivers State judges, including those serving in federal jurisdictions.
“We have since implemented this law by providing 4-bedroom duplexes with appurtenances, including security and regular electricity at the ChinweAgumaJudicial Estate, to our judges.
“Similarly, those who opted not to reside in the estate were given an equivalent monetary value to build or buy similar houses.”
To further strengthen the judicial system, the governor said his administration was presently constructing a new ultra-modern magistrates’ court complex to relocate all the magistrates’ courts from the premises of the State High Court Complex.
He said the state government has also completed the Justice Mary Odili Judicial Institute, to complement the National Judicial Institute to provide relevant training and capacity building for Rivers State judges and magistrates to enhance their competences for effective service delivery.
The governor maintained that his administration has also been releasing the capital and recurrent budgets of the Judiciary from 2015 to date.
According to him, three weeks ago, the state government released over 80percent of the 2022 Judiciary’s capital votes to the state’s chief judge.
Moved by the need to expand access to the Nigerian Law School and reduce the admission backlog, the governor said the state government had requested and secured the approval of the Federal Government to build a new campus in Port Harcourt.
“We recently delivered the Nabo Graham-Douglas Campus of the Nigerian Law School to the Council of Legal Education to fulfil this promise. With a carrying capacity of over 1,500 boarding students, this campus ranks as the best law school campus in Nigeria, and will remain so for a long time.”
Furthermore, he said at the request of the Director General of the Nigerian Law School, the Rivers State Government built twin 900-bed capacity hostels and a 1,500-sitting-capacity auditorium for the YenagoaCampus of the Nigerian Law School.
Wike said he remains confident that his successor would sustain a more robust relationship with the Judiciary in the state.
In his remarks, the Chief Judge of Rivers State, Hon. Justice Simeon Amadi, commended Wike for his immense support for the Judiciary in the state.
Justice Amadi urged lawyers in the state to avail themselves of the benefits of the Multi-door Court established to ensure greater access to mediated dispute settlements, especially for the business and investment community.
He explained that the state Judiciary generated over N1.2billion in the current legal year.
On his part, the Rivers State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Prof. ZacchaeusAdangor, SAN, described as sacrilegious unguarded verbal attacks against judges by lawyers.
Adangor said unguarded verbal attacks drain the confidence of judges, and called on lawyers to desist from castigating the judges.
Speaking on behalf of the Body of Senior Advocates of Nigeria, Onueze C.J. Okocha, SAN, observed that the Judiciary was still plagued by slow dispensation of justice.
Okocha, who was the former president of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), suggested that to overcome this challenge, states should be allowed to determine the number of judges and magistrates they need.
Also speaking, Chairman, Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Port Harcourt Branch, Barrister Victor Benibo, commended Wike for his immense contributions to the advancement of legal profession in the state and the country.
Earlier, the governor and his wife, Hon. Justice Eberechi Suzzette Nyesom-Wike, the Rivers State Deputy Governor, Dr. Ipalibo Harry Banigo, and other top government functionaries had attended a special church service at St. Paul’s Anglican Cathedral Church in Port Harcourt to mark the beginning of the 2022/2023 Legal Year.
The Organised Labour yesterday, called on the Federal Government to ensure inclusiveness in policy making and guide against erosion of rights, such as free speech and association.
The President, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Mr Joe Ajaero made the call at the 2025 Workers’ Day celebration held at the Eagle’s Square, Abuja.
The Tide source reports Ajaero and the President, Trade Union Congress, Mr Festus Osifo delivered a joint statement on behalf of the organised labour at the event.
Ajaero described May Day as, not only a moment to honour workers’ sacrifices, but also a platform to demand justice and accountability from those in public office.
He frowned at the alleged suppression of protests, and the erosion of rights of workers by some agents
According to him, workers have a duty to resist economic injustice, insecurity, and policies that undermine their dignity.
Speaking on the theme of the day, the NLC President underscored the need for Nigerian workers to reclaim the civic space and resist policies that contribute to worsening economic conditions.
“Our theme this year – “Reclaiming the Civic Space in the midst of Economic Hardship – reflects the urgent need for citizens to protect democracy and push back against repression.
“The civic space, where Nigerians express their concerns and challenge injustices is shrinking.
“If we fail to reclaim this space, the foundation of our democracy risks collapse,” he said
Ajaero, therefore, urged workers to unite and resist division, fear, and despair.
He also urged them to mobilise and organise for change, declaring that the right to demand better conditions is non-negotiable.
“Without workers, there is no society; without labour, there is no development. We must take our place in the fight for economic justice and democratic governance.”
Speaking in the same veins, Osifo said workers are the backbone of the nation—the educators, healthcare providers, builders, farmers, and innovators who sustain its economy -.
He stressed the need for the labour to reclaim the civic space even in the midst of economic hardship.
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has disassociated itself from a fraudulent site requesting payments from candidates who missed the ongoing 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
The board said that the site, “Copyrightwriter Personal J Rescheduling Flw” and account number 8520641017 at Sterling Bank, associated with it, are scam.
The disclaimer is contained in a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja on Thursday by the Board’s Public Communication Advisor, Dr Fabian Benjamin.
Benjamin said the account is being exploited to defraud unsuspecting candidates who missed their UTME.
“We issue this urgent notice to inform the public about this nefarious scheme targeting candidates who were unable to participate in the UTME.
“Some unscrupulous individuals are deceitfully soliciting payments of N15,700 under the false pretence of offering rescheduling services for the examination.
“Let us be unequivocal: this, it is a blatant scam, and we are confident that the public will not fall prey to such cheap and regressive tactics.
” The individuals behind this scam have no affiliation with JAMB or any legitimate government agency.
“The account details provided in these communications are entirely fictitious and bear no connection to any official processes; they exist solely for the purpose of perpetrating fraud,” he said.
Benjamin called on Sterling bank to take immediate and decisive action against this criminal activity.
According to him, JAMB has reported the matter to the relevant security agencies and actively pursuing those responsible for this deceitful act.
He further said that “JAMB does not reschedule examinations for candidates who miss their scheduled tests due to reasons unrelated to the Board’s actions”.
He, however, said that the Board is conducting a thorough investigation for candidates whose biometrics failed during verification and were thus unable to sit for the examination.
He said those without discrepancies would be invited to retake the examination at no cost , stressing that “no cost is required”
“It is imperative to understand that JAMB does not charge any fees for examinations after a candidate has completed their registration.
“We strongly urge all candidates to remain vigilant and not to succumb to these fraudulent schemes.
“Protect yourselves and report any suspicious activity immediately,” he explained.
The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has expressed its willingness to partner with the United Nations (UN) to accelerate the development of the Niger Delta region.
Dr Samual Ogbuku, Managing Director of the NDDC, made the appeal in a statement issued by the commission’s Director of Corporate Affairs, Mrs Seledi Thompson-Wakama, in Port Harcourt on yesterday.
According to the statement, Ogbuku sought the UN’s support during his visit to the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator (UNRHC), Mr Mohammed Fall, at the UN regional office in Abuja.
He called on the global body to provide the NDDC with technical assistance and expert services to support the region’s development.
“We are eager to collaborate with the UN, recognising that the state governments in the region and the NDDC alone cannot achieve the level of regional development required,” he said.
Ogbuku identified key areas where support would be needed, including the provision of portable and affordable drinking water powered by high-tech solar energy sources.
He also highlighted the importance of reforesting the mangrove swamps, which have been severely damaged by decades of environmental degradation caused by oil exploration in the Niger Delta.
“Although the NDDC has made progress in providing solar-powered streetlights across the region, we still require UN support in delivering solar energy solutions for residential buildings.
“We also wish to explore the possibility of installing solar mini-grids in homes across communities, which would boost local commerce and trade,” he added.
The NDDC managing director further appealed for increased UN involvement in areas such as healthcare, education, youth training, gender development, and food security.
Ogunku stated that such interventions would significantly enhance the standard of living in the region.
In response, Fall affirmed the UN’s readiness to collaborate with the NDDC to fast track development in the Niger Delta.
He assured that the UN would support initiatives in food security, job creation, education, and renewable energy, among other areas.
“We aim to approach development in the Niger Delta holistically, rather than focusing solely on environmental pollution.
“This is merely an entry point; however, the UN’s development vision aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are designed to positively impact various aspects of people’s lives,” Fall stated.
He assured the NDDC of continued and fruitful engagements to drive the region’s development.