Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has described the recent Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) conference as a “flop”, accusing the association’s leadership of prioritising politics over issues affecting the legal profession.
Wike made the remarks during a media chat in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, where he also questioned the legacy the current NBA president would leave behind.
According to the minister, the NBA leadership should have focused more on addressing challenges confronting the legal profession rather than engaging in political activities.
“Instead of concentrating on issues affecting the NBA, they started playing politics,” Wike said.
He said he had previously explained to the NBA president why he did not support her, particularly over her decision to invite a former governor whom he accused of shutting down and locking up courts in the state for nearly two years.
“I will tell the NBA president: what would you say will be your legacy? As the Minister of the FCT, what would I say I have done?” Wike asked.
He added: “I told the current NBA president why I did not support her. She went to invite a former governor of the state who chained and locked up the court for almost two years.
“When you see this kind of thing, you begin to wonder, what kind of NBA is this?”
Wike also defended the performance of the Federal Government in the FCT, saying all projects initiated under President Bola Tinubu would be completed before the administration leaves office.
“Before this tenure expires, every project started under Bola Tinubu would have been completed,” he said.
The FCT minister further challenged critics to compare the Tinubu administration’s achievements in Abuja with those of previous governments.
“In the history of the FCT, no government has done what we have done in Abuja. I challenge anyone to come out,” Wike said.