Public Criticism: SERAP asks Wike to withdraw call on BoB to sanction Odinkalu

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project has asked Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr Nyesom Wike, to withdraw immediately his reported call to Nigeria’s Body of Benchers to invite and discipline human rights lawyer, Prof Chidi Odinkalu over peaceful exercise of his human rights.

SERAP said the call is apparently politically motivated.

Wike had accused both Professor Chidi Odinkalu and the Nigerian Bar Association of contributing to the degradation of the legal profession through unfounded criticisms.

He made this statement when he received the Body of Benchers, led by Chief Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN), during a visit to him at Life Camp, Abuja

According to him: “For the first time in my life as a lawyer, I have seen an unfortunate situation where the NBA, as a body, without a court judgment, will declare that the judgment of a judge is unconstitutional. I have never seen such a thing before. Yes, I can challenge a judgment in court if I have had the privilege of reading it,” Wike stated during the visit.

“You just heard that a judgment has been delivered, yet you haven’t even had the opportunity to read it. The next thing you do is go on national television, start criticizing and maligning, and nothing happens.

“We have instilled so much fear in our judges and justices that they can’t freely associate. If a judge is going to a mosque or church and sees someone they know, they hesitate to interact because they fear being accused. If they shake hands with someone, people will allege bribery, and a petition will be written claiming the judge was seen shaking someone’s hand,” he continued, indirectly referencing Odinkalu’s public critiques.

“On Saturday, I went to the University of Calabar. The next thing I saw in the papers was a report claiming that a justice escorted me. And someone will sit down and read such a report… Once you see that, you should be able to say, ‘Invite him.’ You don’t just write baseless accusations… If you don’t discipline people, nobody will listen.”

“We cannot continue to allow our profession to be undermined. We cannot continue this way,” Wike insisted.

“If you don’t discipline someone, nobody will listen. Okay, can you please invite him? Did you write this—yes or no? We cannot allow the disparagement of our judges and justices—it’s not done anywhere. I think we have a lot of work to do, but first of all, we must instill discipline in our lawyers. Enough is enough.”

Reacting, SERAP in a statement said Wike was harassing Odinkalu.

“We urge President Tinubu to call Mr Wike to order and instruct him to end the intimidation and harassment of Mr Odinkalu simply for exercising his human rights.

“Mr Wike’s call is an affront to the independence of the administration of justice and the rule of law.

“The call is illustrative of a broader pattern of harassment and intimidation of human rights defenders, activists, journalists and bloggers in the country.

“The Tinubu administration should ensure that all lawyers in Nigeria are able to exercise their human rights and carry out their professional duties without fear of reprisal, hindrance, intimidation or harassment.

“The UN Basic Principles on the Role of Lawyers imposes clear obligations on the Nigerian authorities to ensure that lawyers are able to carry out their professional functions safely and free from intimidation, improper interference, or fear of reprisals, and that they shall not suffer, or be threatened with, sanctions for actions taken in accordance with professional duties, standards, or ethics.

“Lawyers, like other individuals, enjoy the rights to freedom of expression, belief, association, and assembly under the Nigerian Constitution 1999 [as amended] and international human rights law, and are entitled to exercise these rights without suffering professional restrictions by reason of their lawful action,” the group added.

Meanwhile, Odinkalu had earlier, in his response turned the tables on Wike, alleging a personal vendetta fueled by intoxication.

According to him, “Nigeria’s powerful cabinet Minister of the Federal Capital Territory & former Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has a very dependent relationship with dangerous beverages,” he wrote.

“Last week, he consumed some of that stuff &, while under the influence, asked the #BodyOfBenchers to get me disbarred for saying the truth about his habit of seeking to accessorize the judiciary.”