Human rights lawyer Femi Falana has raised concerns over a recent initiative by Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), to gift houses to judges, suggesting that the move could compromise judicial independence.
The controversy began in September when Wike announced a project to construct 40 houses in Abuja for members of the judiciary. Under the plan, 20 of these houses would go to judges of the FCT high court, while 10 would be allocated to the federal high court judges and 10 to the court of appeal judges. This announcement was met with widespread criticism, with some alleging that the gifts were intended to curry favor from the judiciary.
In response to these concerns, Wike defended the project on Wednesday, claiming it was part of President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to supporting judicial independence through enhanced welfare for judges. He dismissed accusations of attempting to influence judicial decisions, asserting that the housing initiative is purely welfare-driven.
Falana, speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today, argued that the judiciary should not rely on executive favors for resources like housing and vehicles. According to Falana, the independence of the judiciary is already enshrined in the constitution, and any external provisions should be managed by the National Judicial Council (NJC), not by individual members of the executive branch.
“The FCT minister operates like a state governor by virtue of Section 299 of the Constitution. He cannot independently decide to allocate housing to federal judges,” Falana said. He explained that the minister’s budget should focus on the FCT’s needs, not extending benefits to judges in the federal judicial system.
Falana emphasized that any support intended for the judiciary should go through formal legislative channels, like the National Assembly, which has the power to approve a supplementary budget for the judiciary if necessary. He added that allowing the FCT minister to provide housing and cars to judges could create conflicts of interest, especially given that cases involving the FCT ministry are pending in these courts.
“This matter should be properly scrutinized to align with the Constitution’s provisions,” Falana said. He acknowledged that judges do require housing, transportation, and security to perform their duties effectively, but he underscored that these provisions should come from the NJC, in accordance with the judiciary’s allocated budget.
