Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has launched a blistering attack on some judges and legal practitioners, accusing them of deliberately bending the law to please powerful political and financial interests.
Fubara made the allegation on Monday in Port Harcourt while delivering an address at the 2025/2026 legal year opening and re-dedication service, attended by judges, lawyers and top government officials.
The governor said it was disturbing that some judicial officers, whom he described as “legal luminaries”, knowingly distort clear provisions of the law, not out of ignorance, but to pacify those he called their paymasters.
“Some of you claim to be authorities in law. You know the truth, yet you go on air or into the courtroom to turn the law upside down, just to satisfy your paymasters,” Fubara said.
He warned that such conduct posed a grave threat to democracy, stressing that the judiciary’s strength lies in its independence and moral authority.
According to him, when judges sacrifice integrity for external influence, public confidence in the justice system is eroded, leaving society vulnerable.
“The judiciary is the last hope of the common man. Once that hope is compromised, then society itself is in danger,” the governor added.
Fubara said judges occupy a sacred position and are expected to dispense justice without fear or favour, noting that any deviation from this responsibility weakens institutions meant to protect citizens.
He further lamented that some legal practitioners misrepresent legal principles in public commentary and court decisions, even when the law is clear, simply to advance political interests.
The governor’s remarks come amid the lingering political and legal crisis in Rivers State following the breakdown of relations between him and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, now the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory.
The crisis has split the Rivers State House of Assembly into factions, triggering a wave of court cases and controversial rulings over the legitimacy of lawmakers and control of the legislature.
Several of the judicial decisions arising from the disputes have generated intense public debate and heightened political tension in the state.
Although Fubara did not mention any specific case or judge, he said some judicial interventions in the ongoing crisis had strayed beyond sound legal reasoning and appeared to reflect the interests of external actors.
He cautioned that the long-term consequences of compromised justice would ultimately harm both the judiciary and the society it serves.
Despite his criticism, the governor said he still held the judiciary in high regard and acknowledged judges who, according to him, have continued to uphold justice and fairness despite political pressure.
Fubara stressed that Nigeria’s democracy must be built on strong institutions rather than powerful individuals, urging judicial officers to remain faithful to the constitution and the rule of law.
“Our democracy will only survive if institutions are protected and strengthened. The judiciary must stand firm in defence of the constitution and the rights of the people,” he said.
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