Report Me If You Can, I Broke No Law

Human rights advocate and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, has boldly responded to criticism from the Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike, over his interpretation of the Supreme Court’s ruling on the Rivers State Assembly defection saga. Wike had accused Falana of spreading falsehoods on television, saying, “If someone of Femi Falana’s calibre can go on national television and lie, it’s very serious. Lies can cause a lot of crises.

” Reacting, Falana insisted he spoke the truth and had not misrepresented the apex court’s decision. “Mr. Wike subjected me to another scurrilous attack in a press conference, where he alleged that I lied about the defection status of certain legislators during my appearance on Channels TV.

” Falana clarified that the case of the defected lawmakers was still active at the Federal High Court when the Supreme Court gave its ruling. “I did not lie against the Supreme Court in respect of the judgment in question. All I said was that the matter of the defection of the 27 legislators was raised suo motu and determined by the eminent Justices of the apex court.

” Citing evidence and legal precedent, Falana defended his stance with reference to affidavits and video proof of the lawmakers’ defection and emphasized his right to critique court judgments. “My fundamental right to criticise the decisions of courts is guaranteed by Section 39 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), and Article 9 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights,” he stated. In a fiery challenge, he told Wike, “Since he has become the unsolicited defender of the judiciary, I challenge him to report me to the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee for professional misconduct.

” He accused Wike of being selective in his defense of the judiciary and said, “Unlike Mr. Wike, who calls judges names whenever they disagree with his politics of opportunism, I have always criticised the judgments of domestic and regional courts with utmost decorum and in good faith.” Referencing a notable quote, Falana added, “We are final not because we are infallible; rather, we are infallible because we are final,” and also recalled another by former CJN Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad: “You have the responsibility of drawing our attention to where things are going wrong or on the verge of going wrong.

” Despite Wike’s jabs, Falana declared the minister’s campaign to tarnish his image unsuccessful: “It is indubitably clear that the allegation leveled against me by Mr. Wike is spurious..

. He has failed in his desperate bid to incite the Justices of the Supreme Court against me without any basis whatsoever.” He also took a swipe at Wike’s legal credibility, saying, “Mr.

Wike is the only life bencher in Nigeria who has never handled a case in any trial court or appellate court.” Falana concluded, “It is no crime if a lawyer loses a case in any court. Only a corrupt lawyer wins all cases in all courts.

”.