Human rights activist and #RevolutionNow convener Omoyele Sowore has leveled serious allegations against Nyesom Wike, the current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and former governor of Rivers State......See Full Story>>.....See Full Story>>
Sowore accused Wike of being a key figure in corrupting Nigeria’s judiciary, claiming that he has the institution “in his breast pocket.”
Sowore, who previously ran for president under the African Action Congress (AAC), alleged that Wike used his influence to secure favorable court rulings during his tenure as governor. “Nyesom Wike has been a major corruptor of the judiciary. In judicial circles, he is called the ‘Golden Boy of the Judiciary’ because of his uncanny ability to corrupt the judicial system,” Sowore stated in his post.
The activist further claimed that Wike awarded a contract to Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa, who served as the President of the Court of Appeal from 2014 to 2020, to build the Court of Appeal in Port Harcourt. According to Sowore, this move solidified Wike’s influence over the judiciary to such an extent that he could secure court decisions even before making official requests.
Sowore also accused Wike of bribing judicial officers by building houses for judges and allocating them prime lands in Abuja, describing these actions as direct attempts to manipulate the judiciary. “Even before he became governor of Rivers State, Wike was the go-to guy for buying judgments or influencing judges in election tribunals or other legal matters,” Sowore added.
As of the time of this report, Minister Nyesom Wike has not yet responded to these allegations. Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa, the first female President of the Nigerian Court of Appeal, was succeeded by Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem in 2020.