Human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, has fired back at the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, over recent accusations related to the Supreme Court’s ruling on the Rivers State political crisis.
Wike had accused Falana of lying on national television about the apex court’s decision on the defection of 27 lawmakers from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC). In a press conference, Wike claimed Falana misrepresented the judgment during a Channels TV appearance, saying, “If someone of Femi Falana’s calibre can go on national television and lie, it’s very serious. Lies can cause a lot of crises.”
Falana, in a direct response, described Wike’s claims as false and aimed at misleading the public.
He clarified that he never misrepresented the Supreme Court’s judgment, noting that the court itself had raised and ruled on the issue of defection without it being part of the initial case before it. He emphasized that the matter was still active at the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt when the Supreme Court ruled on it.
“There are video recordings and sworn affidavits where the lawmakers admitted defecting from the PDP to the APC,” Falana stated.
He accused Wike of attempting to incite the judiciary against him, but affirmed that his critique of court decisions is legally protected. “My fundamental right to criticize the decisions of courts is guaranteed by Section 39 of the Constitution and Article 9 of the African Charter,” he said.
Falana also challenged Wike to take legal action if he believed professional conduct had been breached. “Since he has become the unsolicited defender of the judiciary, I challenge him to report me to the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee,” he said.
He dismissed Wike’s attacks as hypocritical, pointing out that Wike himself has a record of disparaging judges whose rulings don’t serve his political interests.
As Wike continued his media attacks, calling Falana a “television lawyer” and mocking him for allegedly losing a previously won Supreme Court case, Falana delivered a sharp rebuke: “Mr. Wike is the only life bencher in Nigeria who has never handled a case in any trial court or appellate court.”
Falana concluded that Wike’s attempts to tarnish his reputation and provoke judicial backlash had failed, insisting that his public comments were rooted in fact and protected by law.
