Wike’s Government Gifts Retiring Chief Judge New House, Vehicles After Threatening Not To Pay Striking Workers

The Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has presented to the retiring Chief Judge of the state, Adama Iyayi-Lamikanra, a brand new house, a new Sport Utility Vehicle and a Hilux van. 

Wike, on the other hand, warned the state chapter of Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN), threatening the workers that if they fail to call off their strike by the end of this month, the government would have no option but to implement the law on no-work, no-pay.

He reiterated that there was no basis for the state chapter of JUSUN to have joined the protracted national strike as the issues in contention do not apply at all to states where judiciary workers enjoy financial autonomy and much improved staff welfare. 

Wike stated these in his farewell speech at the special court session in honour of the retiring Chief Judge of Rivers State, Iyayi-Lamikanra, in Port Harcourt on Tuesday. 

He explained that the state was aware of the agreement among the Federal Government, the Governors’ Forum and JUSUN on the implementation of financial autonomy for the judiciary and legislative branches across the country.

“We would therefore neither set up any new implementation committee because it’s simply unnecessary, nor allow the state’s judiciary to submit its budget directly to the State House of Assembly in breach of extant fiscal policies and regulations that regulate the state’s budgeting process,” he said. 

Wike took a swipe at the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) for allegedly instigating tension in the state over the appointment of a Chief Judge. He also castigated the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) for making comments on gender equality because a woman was not recommended by the National Judicial Council to succeed Justice Adama Iyayi-Lamikanra.

The governor maintained that in the appointment of an Acting Chief judge, the most senior judge in the hierarchy is an absolute condition. But that is not the same in the appointment of a substantive chief judge. 

He said, “Apart from the basic qualifications, sound character, ability to lead and work harmoniously with colleagues, hard work and willingness to take on challenging cases without a penchant for returning files for reassignment on flimsy excuses are some of the accepted dispositional requirements for such a very important appointment.

“At any rate, the state Judicial Service Commission could not have recommended a judicial officer who has become notorious for returning case files for reassignment on flimsy excuses to the prime position of Chief Judge.

“No one should have expected the state’s Judicial Service Commission to recommend for appointment as Chief Judge a judicial officer who had promised to reopen disciplinary cases already dealt with and reinstate persons duly disciplined for corrupt practices and abuse of office.

“And no one could have convinced the state Judicial Service Commission to recommend for appointment as a Chief Judge a judicial officer who had promised to work with the political opposition to make the upcoming political transition process very turbulent and difficult for the state.”

The governor extoled Justice Iyayi-Lamikanra as a bold, fearless and courageous judge who resisted political pressures to give the wrong judgment and halted the sitting of the kangaroo judicial panel of inquiry set up by the previous Governor to vainly indict his political reputation on spurious charges and fabricated facts.

He stressed that under the leadership of Justice Iyayi-Lamikanra the State’s judiciary effectively enjoyed both administrative and financial autonomy never before experienced in this State.

The governor thereafter presented to her the certificate of occupancy of the deluxe home built for her by the State government and the keys for the brand new sport utility vehicle and a Hilux van.

Justice Iyayi-Lamikanra said she would be eternally grateful to the governor, who with a determined heart, made it possible for her to emerge as the 8th Chief Judge of the state even though she is a non-indigene.