Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike has disclosed that the recent donations of houses to Judges in FCT was part of President Bola Tinubu’s Welfare Package for the Judiciary .
Notable Nigerians including human Rights lawayer , Femi Falana faulted the donation and described it as a plot to influence the judges .. He condemned the idea of a state official, like Wike, giving gifts such as cars and houses to federal judges, stressing that the Constitution does not authorise such actions
While fielding questions from Journalists during a media chat in Abuja, Wike disclosed that he was just implementing the welfare package of President Tinubu
“Tinubu had once asked, where are the judges living? They have no homes and therefore open to political manipulation and for me as a president who wants to guarantee the independence of the judiciary judges must have their homes.
“I am not Mr President; I am only lucky to be appointed as a minister under this administration and who is in the position to implement his policies. And Mr President said, look, this is what he wants, come up and see what we can do.
“It was approved by Mr President, sent to the National Assembly in the 2024 budget that there should be construction of judges and Justices quarters. “That they should move judges from where they are renting houses, living among criminals.
“A policy anybody should commend Mr President, it is in the budget of 2024, appropriated by the National Assembly, assented to by Mr President which is a law. What is the problem? I am only the implementor, go and implement this.
“Federal Executive Council approved the contract and everything, it is not my policy, how will you now want to kill me that I am implementing what the Federal Government approved?”
