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Wike Asks Heads Of Courts To Tackle Judicial Corruption

  Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has called on the heads of various courts in the country to address what he described as corruption in … Continue reading Wike Asks Heads Of Courts To Tackle Judicial Corruption


Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, addresses judges in Port Harcourt on August 3, 2020.
Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, addresses judges in Port Harcourt on August 3, 2020.

 

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has called on the heads of various courts in the country to address what he described as corruption in the judiciary.

He made the call at an event where he presented cars to judges serving in Rivers on Monday in Port Harcourt, the state capital.

“I again call on the heads of our judicial systems at both state and federal levels to positively address the identifiable structural weakness, processes, and indulgences that continue to create room for and even give the stamp of approval to judicial corruption, insubordination, dereliction of duty, indiscipline, and other inefficient practices across the nation’s judiciary,” the governor said.

He explained that on behalf of the public, the government has played its part to secure a well-resourced and functional judicial system for the state.

Some of the cars gifted to judges in Rivers State.

 

Governor Wike, however, informed the judges that the people, in turn, expect them to discharge their duties with total and positive courage, commitment, and integrity.

According to him, adjudication and politics are incompatible, and no judge can get involved in both and legitimately claim to be an independent and impartial adjudicator.

The governor said, “Courage, commitment, and integrity require you to be fair to everyone that seeks justice before the courts you preside because the nature of your work grants you neither room nor privileged to choose and pick which case to handle or when it is convenient and to whom to dispense justice in favour.

“Unfortunately, we are increasingly seeing the active involvement of some serving judges in politics which is manifesting through their expressions, comments, special affiliations, and body language.”

Governor Wike also decried the situation where judges recuse themselves from matters brought before them and return the case files to the heads of the court.

He stressed that the decisions of such judges were the results of intimidation and pressure they face from litigants who try to induce them.