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Federal Capital Territory (FCT) minister, Nyesom Wike, has condemned criticisms trailing the building of houses for judges in Abuja just as he denied claims that it is aimed at “pocketing” the judges for political gains.
Wike said the construction of homes for judges is not his policy but part of welfare packages President Bola Tinubu designed for the judges to promote the independence of the judiciary.
Wike made the clarification during a media chat on Wednesday, insisting that the project was approved in the 2024 budget, and that he is only performing his duty of implementing it.
Wike explained: “(Tinubu said) ‘Where are the judges living? They have no homes and are therefore open to political manipulation, and for me, as a president who wants to guarantee the independence of the judiciary, judges must have their homes’.
“I am not Mr President; I am only lucky to be appointed as a minister under this administration and who is in the position to implement his policies. And Mr President said, look, this is what he wants, come up and see what we can do.
“It was approved by Mr President, sent to the National Assembly in the 2024 budget that there should be construction of judges and Justices quarters. That they should move judges from where they are renting houses, living among criminals.
“A policy anybody should commend Mr President, it is in the budget of 2024, appropriated by the National Assembly, assented to by Mr President which is a law. What is the problem? I am only the implementor, go and implement this.
“Federal Executive Council approved the contract and everything, it is not my policy, how will you now want to kill me that I am implementing what the Federal Government approved?”
Wike insisted that there was nothing wrong even if it was his idea to construct homes for judges, adding that he had done something similar as the governor of Rivers State.
Wike also revealed plans to give security agents in the FCT 50 vehicles to tackle insecurity and check scavengers who have constituted security threats in the FCT.
Wike said that the situation at the moment is far better than it was as the security agents are working day and night to keep Abuja residents secure.
The minister said some of the beggars not only constitute a nuisance but also security threats as some of them are informants.
Wike made these assertions on a live television broadcast on Wednesday, monitored in Abuja by This Nigeria.
“I disagree with you that poverty is responsible, professional begging is what is happening. We have security threats and you give excuses for them,” he said.
“Some of them are not only informants but scavengers too. The committee is now working day and night. Next week I will distribute 50 vehicles to security agencies to provide comfort for Abuja residents. We are giving them the necessary support to enable them to succeed.
“We’re here to fight insecurity to give Abuja residents the comfort they deserve. If Abuja is not safe, then forget Nigeria.”