Wike Condemns Involvement of Judicial Officers in Politics

Ernest Chinwo in Port Harcourt

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has decried the involvement of some judicial officers in partisan politics.

He stated that this has manifested through comments, special affiliations, body language and palpable commitments.

Wike stated this in Port Harcourt yesterday at the handing over of 41 Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs) to judges in the state judiciary as well as seven judges of the state origin serving in the Federal Judicial Service.

The governor said: “Adjudication and politics are incompatible extremes, hence, no judge can be both and legitimately claim to be an independent and impartial adjudicator.

“Heads of the country’s judicial system should positively address the identifiable weaknesses and processes that have continued to create room for judicial corruption.

“The transformation agenda in the state judiciary under my administration is based on the fact that we believe that judges and magistrates, who toil on a daily basis to dispense justice and advance societal peace, need to be taken care of.

“Therefore, the rule of law, independence of the judiciary and effective delivery of justice are on the top priority of my administration.

“Even though my administration inherited a judiciary that was completely neglected and judicial officers treated with disdain, we made a commitment to change the unfortunate narrative.”

The governor noted that only a dishonest character would deny the pragmatic and purposeful attention his administration brought to all facets of the state judicial system in the last five years.

He also announced the completion of 20 luxury and fully furnished judges’ quarters built in fulfillment of his administration’s policy of providing decent life-long accommodation for all judges in the state.

Wike also said the government would relocate judges who are currently living in highly commercialised environments to befitting secure and serene locations.

He stated that there should be no room for corruption and indulgence among judges taking into cognizance the level of incentives provided for them.

The governor urged the judges to reciprocate the government’s gesture by maintaining the highest sense of responsibility, integrity and productivity in discharging their duties.