By Precious Mark
Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Barr. Nyesom Wike has defended the Federal Government’s intervention in providing accommodation for judicial officers in Abuja, clarifying that all public infrastructure in the nation’s capital falls strictly within the construction mandate of the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA).
Speaking during a media parley on Tuesday in Abuja, Wike addressed recent criticisms surrounding government-built residences for judges, emphasizing that the project is an institutional intervention ordered by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu rather than a personal gift to individual judicial officers.
“The FCT is not a state. All public buildings in the FCT are built by the FCDA.”
“President Tinubu, in his wisdom, said he had received complaints about a shortage of accommodation for judges and directed us to intervene and provide housing. This accommodation is not personal, it is institutional,” Wike stated.
The Minister dismissed claims that such institutional support compromises the independence of the judiciary or blurs the separation of powers.
Pointing to his tenure as Governor of Rivers State, Wike noted that constructing state-built infrastructure for federal courts did not shield his administration from adverse legal rulings.
“When I was Governor of Rivers State, I built infrastructure for the Court of Appeal, the National Industrial Court, and the Federal High Court.”
“During all the political crises that arose after I left Rivers State, did any judge rule in my favor in Rivers State? Not one. Why must we assume that constructing a public building constitutes a personal favor?, he queried.
Wike also delivered a response to PDP chieftain Chief Olabode George regarding his comments on the judiciary and allegations concerning the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court.
He questioned George’s political standing and moral authority to criticize current administrative policies, asserting that party leadership requires electoral results rather than self-appointed titles.
“Bode George claims to be a founding father of the PDP, but since 1999, he has not won a single seat for the party in Lagos State.”
“He is laying claim to ‘founding father’ status on the back of structures built by others in different states. It is completely unfair for him to allege that the Chief Judge came to make personal demands,” Wike said.
Reiterating the administration’s position, the Minister maintained that the FCT Administration will continue to execute presidential directives aimed at addressing critical infrastructure deficits across federal institutions operating within the territory.