The Supreme Court has denied the claims on social media that suggested that Justice Emmanuel Agim accompanied Nyesom Wike, the minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), to the University of Calabar’s convocation ceremony on Saturday, March 22.
Akande Festus, the director of information and public relations of the Supreme Court made this known in a statement on Monday, March 24, stating that the circulation report was a false narrative.
According to the Supreme Court, Justice Agim had attended the convocation as an honoured alumnus of the University of Calabar because the governing council had found him worthy of the honour of the Honourary Doctorate Degree in Law (Doctor Honoris Causa).
Why Supreme Court justices attended UNICAL Convocation
The Supreme Court explained that the attendance of Justice Emmanuel Agim at the event was an independent act and not an official representation of any government’s ministry or agency. It added that he did not accompany any serving or retired government official to the event.
It further explained that any insinuation that is contrary to the above clarification was inaccurate and undermines judicial independence, which is crucial to the survival of democracy.
The apex court’s statement reads in part:
“It has come to our attention that misleading information has emerged, suggesting that Hon. Justice Emmanuel Agim accompanied the Hon. Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mr Nyesom Wike to the ceremony. We hereby dispel this false narrative.”
How Rivers crisis started
This came amid the political crisis between Wike, who also doubles as the immediate past governor of Rivers state, and his successor, Governor Siminalayi Fubara, who was recently suspended by President Bola Tinubu. Fubara’s suspension followed the declaration of a state of emergency in the oil-rich state and the nomination of sole administration by the president.
The president alleged that the government and the state’s house of assembly, who were said to the Wike’s loyalists, have failed to find a common ground to implement the Supreme Court judgment and curb the growing security concerns in the state.
While the governors elected under the umbrella of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are challenging the suspension of their colleagues at the Supreme Court, one of the justices of the apex court was said to have accompanied Wike to the University of Calabar.
Supreme Court gives verdict on PDP secretary tussle
Legit.ng earlier reported that the Supreme Court has declared that Senator Samuel Anyanwu remained the authentic national secretary of the PDP.
Justice Jamilu Tukur of the Supreme Court who delivered the lead judgment, ruled out the judgment of the Court of Appeal and upheld the verdict of the Federal High Court.
Recall that the appellate court earlier dismissed the judgment of the lower court on the ground that it did not have the locus standing to hear the matter.
