Wike Slams NBA Over Emergency Rule Criticism, Accuses Lawyers of Hypocrisy and Self-Interest
By IDNN Political Desk | March 31, 2025
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has lashed out at the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) for criticizing President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of Emergency Rule in Rivers State. He accused the association of being motivated by financial gain, warning that the legal profession is being undermined from within.
Wike, a senior lawyer and former governor of Rivers State, spoke during a courtesy visit by the Body of Benchers (BoB), led by its Chairman, Chief Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN), to his office in Abuja.
“NBA Is Angry Over Conference Sponsorship” – Wike
Referring to the NBA’s public opposition to the March 19 Emergency Rule—which suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, and the state House of Assembly—Wike claimed the NBA’s outrage stems from losing financial sponsorship for its annual conference.
“The NBA is against the state of emergency because there would be no money to give them for their conference. What kind of hypocrisy is this?” Wike asked.
He alleged that the NBA has consistently benefited from state government sponsorship, yet accuses judges and courts of corruption whenever government support is extended to the judiciary.
Wike: “I Built the NBA National Secretariat Alone”
Wike, clearly frustrated, reminded the BoB of his own contribution to the legal profession.
“I was the only one who contributed to build the NBA national secretariat. They didn’t call that a bribe,” he said.
“But when a government supports the judiciary, suddenly it’s bribery. Why the double standards?”
He argued that many lawyers who criticize judicial decisions fail to read court rulings and that some NBA members appear on television to disparage judges without understanding the law.
Calls for Discipline Within the Legal Profession
The FCT Minister urged the Body of Benchers to take steps to enforce discipline and protect the reputation of the legal profession.
“If you don’t discipline somebody, nobody will learn any lesson,” Wike said.
He expressed concern over what he called a coordinated effort by lawyers to tarnish the image of the judiciary, adding that it was unacceptable for professionals to become the source of their own industry’s decline.
“I have never seen where members of a profession are so determined to destroy it. We must stop discouraging our judges and justices.”
Background: A Controversial Emergency Declaration
On March 19, 2025, President Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers State, suspended the governor and other key officials, and installed a Sole Administrator. The move triggered widespread condemnation, especially from the NBA, which called the action “unconstitutional.”
Critics have also accused Wike of being a central figure in the protracted political crisis that led to the emergency rule. Some are calling on the Body of Benchers to investigate and possibly sanction him.
