reports that Wike made the remarks after inspecting several ongoing judicial infrastructure projects, including judges’ quarters, the Court of Appeal Abuja Division, and proposed residences for judges of the Industrial Court and the Code of Conduct Tribunal.

His comments followed criticism reportedly raised by the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), which expressed concern over executive involvement in providing infrastructure for the judiciary.

Dismissing the objections, Wike maintained that it was not unusual for the government to build facilities for judicial officers and insisted such actions do not interfere with judicial independence.

“The mere fact that the executive constructs buildings does not mean it will interfere with the judiciary,” he said. “We have built public houses for the National Assembly and for the judiciary before. The Supreme Court was built by government. So there is nothing new in this.”

He further accused NBA leadership of inconsistency, alleging that the association often seeks financial sponsorship from governments for its events while criticising state involvement in judicial projects.

“All they are interested in is when state governments will sponsor NBA activities. If governments fund their conferences, does that mean they are no longer independent?” he queried.

Wike reiterated that the FCT Administration would remain focused on improving the welfare and working conditions of judges and justices, stressing that the projects are intended to enhance efficiency, not compromise independence.

“This is a voluntary act by government to make judicial officers comfortable and focused on their work. It is not done to erode judicial independence,” he added.

He also revealed that the projects are part of activities lined up for President Bola Tinubu’s third anniversary in office, noting that the judges’ quarters were nearly completed and ready for commissioning.

“We’ve seen the judges’ quarters—beautiful. I’m very elated that the job was done well. The houses are well furnished and almost 99 per cent ready,” he said.

Wike added that groundwork had begun for new residences for judges of the Industrial Court and the Code of Conduct Tribunal.

However, he expressed dissatisfaction with the finishing quality of the Court of Appeal Abuja Division project, despite its high level of completion.

“Almost 90 per cent complete, but I must say it’s not the quality I expected. I have told the contractor that several errors must be corrected before inauguration,” he stated.

He assured that the administration would continue monitoring all projects closely to ensure proper delivery in line with specifications and timelines.