By Stanley Onyekwere
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has sharply criticised former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi’s vice-presidential ambitions while taking aim at the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) over its perceived political shift.
Speaking during a monthly media chat in Port Harcourt on Wednesday, Wike argued that political leaders with a history of undermining the judiciary should not be entrusted with high executive office.
He specifically referenced Amaechi’s tenure as governor of Rivers State, pointing to the prolonged closure of state courts as a key factor that should count against his political ambitions.
“Rotimi Amaechi, who wants to be Vice President today, once shut down the courts in Rivers State and caused a pregnant woman to give birth in prison,” Wike stated, urging the public to scrutinise the past actions of political figures who claim to defend democracy and the rule of law.
Turning his attention to the legal profession, the minister accused the NBA of abandoning its traditional role as a neutral custodian of justice, claiming that the professional body had drifted into partisan commentary.
“The Nigerian Bar Association has now taken sides politically.
“They are now a political party,” Wike declared, emphasising that the association should focus on upholding constitutionalism rather than providing platforms that serve partisan interests.
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