Prominent Nigerian human rights activist Omoyele Sowore has condemned Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), for setting a low minimum wage of N70,000 for FCT workers. Sowore described the decision as inadequate, especially given the current economic challenges many Nigerians face.
Wike announced the N70,000 wage as part of efforts to implement the new minimum wage for all administrative staff under the FCT Administration. While he framed this as a way to ease financial struggles, critics argue the amount falls far short of what is needed to support workers in the nation’s capital.
Sowore went further to criticize Wike’s spending priorities, accusing him of corruption. He pointed out that while workers are expected to survive on N70,000, Wike has spent millions of naira building luxury homes for judges. According to Sowore, these projects are not acts of generosity but calculated moves to influence judicial decisions in Wike’s favor.
“Wicked and corrupt Nyeson Wike, paying paltry N70k to FCT, Abuja workers but building N700m homes to corrupt Nigerian judges!” he posted on his X account on Tuesday.
The controversy does not end with Sowore. Renowned human rights lawyer Femi Falana (SAN) also voiced his concerns, calling Wike’s actions an embarrassment to Nigeria’s judiciary. Critics argue that providing such extravagant housing benefits to judges undermines the independence of the judiciary and raises suspicions of bias in legal proceedings involving Wike.
Both Sowore and Falana have accused Wike of politicizing the judiciary and compromising its integrity. Sowore has openly stated that Wike’s actions suggest he has “the judiciary in his breast pocket,” highlighting a growing distrust in the system.
The debate over Wike’s policies raises critical issues about priorities in governance, the misuse of public funds, and the welfare of ordinary workers. While Wike’s supporters may argue that the housing projects for judges are intended to improve their living conditions, critics like Sowore see it as an unethical use of resources in a time of widespread hardship for workers.
He said, “Nyesom Ezenwo Wike – CON, GSSRS, has been a major corruptor of the judiciary.
“In judicial circles, he is called the “Golden Boy of the Judiciary” because of his uncanny ability to help corrupt the judiciary.
“When Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa was the President of the Court of Appeal, Wike gave her a contract to build the Court of Appeal in Port Harcourt and anything Wike wanted was granted before he asked.
“Even before he became governor of Rivers State, Wike was the go-to guy to buy judgements or judges during election tribunals or contentious legal matters.
“Building judges’ houses is a direct bribe; besides this brazen bribery of judicial officers, Wike is also allocating lands to senior judges in choice areas in Abuja as we speak!
“Wike has the Nigerian Judiciary in his breast pocket.”
This controversy has sparked a broader discussion on accountability, corruption, and the need for reforms to strengthen Nigeria’s institutions and protect the independence of its judiciary.
