"Democracy Has Been Threatened By The Orchestrated Intimidation Of The Judiciary" -- Wike

Rivers State Governor , Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has declared that the ruling party has deliberately threatened the foundation of democracy by its ochestrated intimidation of the judiciary through false allegations and illegal arrests.

He stated that because of the orchestrated harassment of judges by the ruling party , no judge will ever deliver judgments against the interest of the Federal Government and the ruling party .

Speaking at the Government House , Port Harcourt on Friday during a courtesy visit by the Port Harcourt Branch of the Nigeria Bar Association , NBA , Governor Wike warned lawyers against allowing the deliberate destruction of the judiciary under any guise.

According to him, the ruling party and her officials have elevated the art of frivolous petition writing against judges as a means of subverting the course of justice .

He said : "Our democracy is in danger. Our democracy has been threatened . What is happening to the judiciary is very deep. NBA must be careful of the deep implications of what it is also doing in the course of the present attack on the judiciary .

"All these actions are geared towards silencing everybody as we head to 2019. If anybody tells you that they are fighting corruption in the judiciary , tell the person that he is lying .

"They have empowered politicians to write frivolous petitions against judges . Whether or not the petition is true, the judge is compelled to step aside".

Speaking further, he said: "any judge who delivers a judgement that is against the interest of the ruling party, is hounded down by the DSS. They have intimidated judicial officers and put fear in them in a manner that is negatively affecting governance ".

The governor cited the ongoing Ondo PDP crisis as a point of reference where frivolous petition has been used to further the interest of the ruling party and destroy the judiciary .

On the December 10, 2016 date scheduled by INEC for Rivers Rerun elections , Governor Wike said the fact that it was announced less than 24 hours after the Senate ultimatum was an indication that INEC had been lying to people that insecurity was behind the repeated postponement of the rerun elections .

He, however , said that INEC in its anti-democratic elements will adduce reasons why the election may not be conducted on the same premise of security consideration .

Earlier , the Chairman of the Port Harcourt Branch of the Nigeria Bar Association , NBA , Mr Victor Briggs commended Governor Wike for his commitment to the development of the state.

The Port Harcourt NBA thanked Governor Wike for the construction of the ultramodern law centre for the branch. He assured the government that lawyers will always support all development programmes .

Simeon Nwakaudu ,
Special Assistant to the Rivers State Governor , Electronic Media .
4th November , 2016.