FG planning to destabilize judiciary ahead of elections

The Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike has accused the federal government of trying to destabilize the judiciary ahead of the general elections scheduled to start by February 16.

Wike who made the allegations on Sunday at the Greater Evangelism World Crusade in Port Harcourt, said about 200 judges, considered as stubborn, have been marked for harassment.

He said that credible intelligence intercepted by him revealed that a minister told a gathering that following the “destabilisation of the supreme court”, the next target will be the court of appeal and federal high court.

“I intercepted a discussion by a minister of the federal executive council where he was telling a gathering that they are happy that they have dealt with the Supreme Court,” he said.

“The minister said the next set would be the court of appeal judges and the court judges. The minister said any judge that fails to cooperate will face trump up charges and compelled to resign.

“This APC Federal Government has gone to the Code of Conduct Bureau to get the asset declaration forms of 200 judges. Any judge that fails to follow their evil plot, will be harassed with false allegations and persecution.”

Calling on the church for prayers, the governor added that the federal government will generate false allegations to compel upright judges to resign from the bench.

“The Church should continually pray for the federal judiciary. The judiciary in Nigeria is under siege. If anything happens to the judiciary, our democracy is in trouble.

“The Church needs to pray for the judges to remain strong in the face of intimidation and harassment.”

The governor’s allegation comes weeks after Walter Onnoghen, chief justice of Nigeria (CJN) was suspended by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Onnoghen has been standing trail at the Code of Conduct of Tribunal (CCT) over alleged false assets declaration.