A heated exchange has erupted between the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, and prominent human rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN), over the Supreme Court’s decision concerning the defection saga in the Rivers State House of Assembly.
Wike, speaking through his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka, slammed Falana for allegedly spreading falsehoods regarding the defection of 27 lawmakers during an interview on Channels Television. He accused the senior lawyer of misrepresenting the legal situation, warning that such misinformation from a respected legal voice could incite political instability in the state.
In a strongly worded statement issued Monday, Olayinka questioned Falana’s credentials and contributions to the legal profession, challenging him to name significant cases he had won. Wike, through Olayinka, labeled Falana an “arrangee and errand lawyer,” claiming his elevation to Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) was delayed and unremarkable.
“It’s laughable that Falana believes only lawyers who appear in court deserve professional recognition. Yet, Wike earned his place in the Body of Benchers through his substantial contributions to legal education,” Olayinka argued.
Highlighting Wike’s record, the statement noted his role in building the Port Harcourt campus of the Nigerian Law School during his tenure as governor of Rivers State, as well as other contributions to law school infrastructure in Yenagoa and Abuja. In contrast, it accused Falana of making no tangible contributions to the legal profession, even in his home state of Ekiti.
“While others like Aare Afe Babalola and Chief Wole Olanipekun have made landmark investments in legal development in Ekiti, what has Falana done? Nothing. Even his attempt at politics ended in failure,” Olayinka added.
The FCT Minister’s camp also criticized Falana’s interpretation of the Supreme Court verdict, accusing him of misleading the public by claiming the ruling didn’t address the issue of defection in the Rivers Assembly. They pointed out that Justice Emmanuel Obile of the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt had dismissed a Labour Party case on the basis of the Supreme Court’s decision, which he interpreted as having settled the defection issue.
The statement also blasted Falana for suggesting that three lawmakers could perform legislative duties in a 32-member House, contrary to Section 96(1) of the 1999 Constitution, which mandates that one-third of members constitute a quorum.
“If a Senior Advocate can mislead his client by dismissing constitutional requirements for quorum, we must ask serious questions about how he attained that rank.”