TELL Magazine

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has accused lawyers in Rivers State of being instigated to kick against the appointment of Hon. Justice Simeon Amadi, as the new Chief Judge of the State.

Wike who spoke at the valedictory court session of the former Chief Judge of the State, Adanna Iyayi-Laminkanran, said he was shocked that lawyers could allow themselves to be used to distort facts.

Wike said, “It is dishonourable for lawyers to allow themselves to be used as agents of falsehood and distortion. Even FIDA has also disgustingly joined in the political fray with their misguided noises on gender equality simply because a woman was not recommended by the National Judicial Council to succeed the retiring Chief Judge of Rivers State.”

The governor recalled that it was his administration that facilitated the appointment of the first female chief judge of Rivers State after the immediate past administration blocked her appointment.

“Where was FIDA or were they not in existence when the previous government snubbed and denied her appointment until we took over and righted that fundamental wrong?

“Was it not our administration that facilitated the appointment of the retiring Chief Judge Adanna Iyayi-Laminkanran?” Wike asked.

The governor had on Tuesday threatened to implement the no work, no pay policy for judiciary workers if they failed to call their strike by the end of the month.

Wike said that he had already granted financial autonomy to the judiciary in the state but would not allow the judiciary to present its own budget to the House of Assembly as agreed to by judiciary workers’ union and the Federal Government.

The governor had sworn in the new Chief Judge, Simeon Amadi on Wednesday at the Government House chambers.