Adeyanju Faults Wike’s Public Welfare Claims for Judges, Warns on Judicial Independence

Human rights lawyer and activist, Deji Adeyanju, has criticised the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, over repeated public statements about welfare packages for judicial officers, warning that such remarks could weaken public confidence in Nigeria’s judiciary.

Adeyanju said the consistent public attention given to welfare support for judges creates an impression that members of the bench are beneficiaries of political patronage, a development he described as harmful to the image of judicial independence.

According to him, judicial independence is not only measured by whether judges are free from direct influence, but also by how the public perceives their relationship with political office holders.

He said: “Wike’s repeated public display of welfare support for judges is damaging to the judiciary. Judicial independence is not only about actual influence, but also about public perception.”

The activist maintained that when a political office holder repeatedly presents himself as the provider of benefits to judges through public declarations and ceremonies, it may create doubt about the neutrality of the courts.

He noted that such perceptions could erode trust in the justice system and reduce confidence in the ability of the judiciary to act impartially.

Adeyanju further argued that several state governments provide similar institutional support to the judiciary without drawing public attention to it, citing Lagos State as an example of quieter engagement.

According to him, excessive publicity around such welfare interventions risks portraying judges as politically dependent rather than independent arbiters of justice.

He warned that actions capable of blurring the line between the executive and the judiciary could further weaken confidence in Nigeria’s courts.