Tribunal Judgment: Don’t cast aspersion on judges, Wike warns aides

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has warned his aides against criticising judges, despite the recent unfavourable judgments, declaring he has absolute respect and confidence in the country’s judiciary.
The governor, who issued the warning during a stakeholders meeting in Government House, Port Harcourt, said he was optimistic that his mandate would be upheld  in the course of the appeal process.
He distanced himself  from a statement made by one of his aides, who described the  tribunal’s  judgment  as “judicial  terrorism and  gang-up,” pointing out that none of his aides was authorised to make such a comment.
Wike said as a lawyer he respects the judiciary and knows the appellate process to seek redress, and proved that the people of the state voted for him in the governorship election.
The governor,  who disclosed that his team of lawyers  were working  round the clock to complete  the  process  of  filing an appeal against  the  judgment, equally assured  the people that he is not distracted by the judgment.
He said that the Appeal Court  judgment of  Thursday, which struck out the paragraphs  of the  APC  petition  alleging violence  and crime against  named and un-named security agents and political thugs was a boost.
He said: “Be assured by the Grace of God our lawyers are working hard to file the appeal within stipulated time. I have told people that it is not in our character to cast aspersions on judges.
“I have also told people not to speak on my behalf to castigate judges. The tribunal is not the final appellate court on this matter. There is no need of castigating the judiciary.
“We are not one of those when judgment favours you, you says you have confidence in the judiciary. When it does not favour you, you lose confidence in the judiciary.
“I want to say in the past two days, you must have read where they quoted me as saying judicial terrorism or judicial gang-up, I never said so. And I never authorized anybody to say so on this matter”.