Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike has accused the Federal Government of intidimating judges with security opertives to do their bidding.
Wike, made this known during the Nigerian Bar Association President’s Dinner in honour of delegates to the 61st annual conference of the association in Port Harcourt on Tuesday, night.
He said the Federal Government must stop using security agencies to intimidate and influence judges if it truly believes in independence of the judiciary.
He also accused the Federal Government of using the issue of financial autonomy to mend faces with the judiciary after years of obvious frosty relationship between them.
“Autonomy is also allowing them (judges) to do what they are supposed to do without you intimidating them. Autonomy is not, give money. Autonomy is, stop using the security agencies to influence them on what to do. We have restricted autonomy to mean where you can award contract. No, that is not autonomy alone,” he said.
“Allow them to perform. Allow them to work according to the law and not to tell DSS to come and meet a judge and say look, we hear this is what you people want to give as judgement on this matter…,” he added.
