Controversy as Wike, s’court judge who read verdict on Rivers crisis sit together at UNICAL event

The presence of Nyesom Wike, minister of the federal capital territory (FCT), and Emmanuel Agim, a judge of the supreme court, at the convocation ceremony of the University of Calabar (UNICAL), has stirred controversy.

On Saturday, UNICAL held its 50th anniversary and 37th convocation ceremony.

Pictures from the event that appeared on social media show Wike sitting in the front row alongside Agim and Ekaette Akpabio, wife of Senate President Godswill Akpabio.

The pictures have generated reactions from social media users considering that Agim was the judge who read the supreme court judgment pertaining to the Rivers political crisis.

On February 28, the supreme court affirmed the judgment of a federal high court that barred the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the accountant-general of the federation from releasing statutory monthly allocations to Rivers state.

The apex court had ordered the CBN to withhold Rivers’ financial allocations until Siminalayi Fubara, governor of the state, presented the state appropriation bill to the Martin Amaewhule-led faction of the assembly.

The supreme court also nullified the local government election held in Rivers state on October 5, 2024.

The judgment of the supreme court had given advantage to the Amaewhule-led faction, which is loyal to Wike.

The political crisis in Rivers had snowballed into a declaration of state of emergency in the state by President Bola Tinubu and suspension of the Fubara and the state assembly for six months.

During the convocation ceremony, the university’s authorities honoured Wike with an honorary doctorate degree in law.

‘AGIM DIDN’T ACCOMPANY WIKE TO CONVOCATION CEREMONY’

In a statement on Monday, Akande Festus, the director of information and public relations at the supreme court, said the comment that Agim accompanied Wike to the ceremony was “misleading and false”.

Festus said the participation of the supreme court judge at the ceremony was independent, noting that Agim was an esteemed honouree and an alumnus of the institution.

“Hon. Justice Agim attended the convocation as an esteemed honouree and an alumnus of the institution, whom the governing council had found worthy to be conferred with an Honorary Doctorate Degree in Law (Doctor Honoris Causa),” the statement reads.

“He was recognized for his significant contributions to the legal profession, which is a reflection of his commitment to justice, integrity, and the rule of law, serving as a model for aspiring legal professionals and students alike.

“Hon. Justice Agim was scheduled to attend the burial ceremony of Hon. Justice Stanley Alagoa alongside other Hon. Justices of the Supreme Court in Bayelsa State but sought permission to go for the convocation ceremony.

“We wish to emphasize that Justice Emmanuel Agim’s participation at the ceremony was independent and not as an official representative of any government ministry or department, let alone accompanying any serving or retired government official.

“Any insinuation to the contrary is not only inaccurate but undermines the judicial independence that is crucial to our democracy.”