Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike has expressed strong reservations about the credibility of Justice Stephen Jumbo following a recent ruling that nullified the Rivers State PDP Congress. Wike, a former governor of Rivers State, has raised questions about the judge’s judicial integrity and alleged a history of questionable conduct during his tenure in the state’s judiciary.
In a report by TVC, the minister recounted the challenges he faced during his governorship, particularly regarding the state judiciary’s management under Justice Jumbo’s tenure as deputy chief judge of the customary court of appeal. Wike highlighted systemic issues, including instances of financial irregularities and favoritism within the judiciary. He claimed that judges were divided into factions, with some receiving preferential treatment in the form of allowances, while others were excluded.
Concerns about financial mismanagement during the judiciary’s inactive period also surfaced in Wike’s account. He pointed to allegations of funds being spent while the courts were not in session for two years, raising questions about who authorized these expenditures. According to him, these actions prompted the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) to indict Justice Jumbo, which formed the basis of his opposition to the judge’s subsequent judicial appointment.
During his tenure as governor, Wike actively resisted attempts to appoint Justice Jumbo as Chief Judge, even writing to the National Judicial Council (NJC) to express his objections. He maintained that the judge’s past conduct rendered him unfit for such a position. However, Wike noted that this resistance was overturned after his departure from office, with a new administration reportedly withdrawing opposition to an appeal that reinstated Justice Jumbo.
Wike linked these developments to political motivations, suggesting that recent rulings by Justice Jumbo favored Governor Siminalayi Fubara. He implied that these decisions were part of a broader scheme influenced by political interests, potentially undermining the judiciary’s impartiality.
In his words: “The JSC indicted this judge, Jumbo, because if you look at the funds of the court that were spent when the court was not in session, you begin to ask the question: who was spending this money when the court was not in session for two years?”.
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