Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike has reiterated the Administration’s commitment to providing infrastructure in the nation’s capital and will not be swayed by unnecessary criticism.
Wike stated this when he received a delegation of the Body of Benchers, led by its new Chairman, Albert Akpomudje, SAN, on Tuesday.
The minister reacted to recent criticism by the President of the Nigeria Bar Association, Afam Osigwe, SAN, who was quoted as saying that the construction of houses for judges was to compromise them, stressed that the FCT Administration will continue to provide infrastructure for government establishments, where needed and as directed by President Bola Tinubu.
He said that though government welcomes criticism, such should be constructive, adding that negative criticism does not augur well for the development of the country.
Wike said, “Our people should stop criticizing. I am not saying that criticism is bad. But what we expect is constructive criticism. Something that will make me say, okay, I think I made a mistake here and will like to correct it. Not saying that nobody does anything good. That is not progress for u.
“I listened to the NBA chairman attacking. Saying that we are building houses for judges to compromise them. I have always said that you cannot bring down your own house. You cannot come to the public and denigrate your own judges and justices.
“They are not carrying the houses back home. Government is only providing an enabling environment. That alone will even give them the independence we are talking about. If the executive can give money to build, that will not be a compromise, but if the executive is building, that is what is called a compromise?”
Wike further challenged the NBA Chaiman’s stance by highlighting the association’s own reliance on government funding for its activities. He said it was contradictory for the NBA leadership to raise concerns about judicial independence while simultaneously seeking executive patronage to fund the association’s activities.
“State governments have been funding the NBA, that did not compromise it. But if the same government builds houses for the judges, that means the judges are compromised?”, he queried, expressing his disappointment in the comments of the NBA leadership.
He used the opportunity to call on the NBA chairman to use his tenure in office to improve on what he met, changing the judiciary for the better, so that posterity will remember him by.
“I don’t know how I will say that I am a lawyer, a life bencher in the profession, and I see that my constituency is lacking and I cannot come to the aid by the position I occupy, I can intervene. It is not when I leave this place tomorrow, that I will begin to criticize. People will ask me, while you were there, what did you do?
“You can talk as much as you want to talk. But you had the opportunity, what was your contribution?”, he asked.
He said it was unfortunate that the judiciary had unfairly been the target of bitter criticism whenever government responded to its infrastructural needs.
While commending the new chairman of the Body of Benchers on his appointment and responding to demands he made, the Minister directed the Executive Secretary of the FCDA, Engr. Richard Yunana Dauda to effect the construction of an access road to the Body’s annex building, under construction.
Assuring the chairman that the annex building would be handed over in June, while the road to the office complex of the Body will also be inaugurated in June, the Minister assured of the continued support of the FCTA. “If you want anything that government will do for you, we are here. Heavens will not fall. In fact, Heaven will be at peace when good governance is provided,” he added.
The Chairman of the Body of Benchers had earlier appreciated the Minister’s significant progress in the development of the Federal Capital Territory and his infrastructural interventions in the Judiciary. He also appreciated the almost completed work at the Annex Building of the Body of Benchers, admitting that all the promises earlier made by the Minister to the Body had been fulfilled.
‘We’ll not be swayed by criticism’ – Wike replies NBA over house gift to judges