Supreme Court Dismisses Reports Justice Agim Accompanied Wike To Unical Convocation

THE Supreme Court has dismissed reports that one of its Justices, Justice Emmanuel Agim, accompanied the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr. Nyesom Wike, to the recent convocation ceremony of the University of Calabar.
The court, in a statement signed by its Director of Information and Public Relations, Dr. Akande Festus, stated that contrary to the social media reports, Agim, attended the convocation as an honouree and an alumnus of the institution, cautioning that such insinuation was capable of undermining the judicial independence, which is crucial to the country’s democracy.
According to the statement: “In light of the reports circulating on social media and other news platforms, we wish to clarify the circumstances surrounding the attendance of Justice Emmanuel Akomaye Agim of the Supreme Court of Nigeria at the convocation ceremony of the University of Calabar on Saturday, 22nd March, 2025.
“It has come to our attention that misleading information has emerged, suggesting that Justice Emmanuel Agim accompanied the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mr. Nyesom Wike, to the ceremony. We hereby dispel this false narrative.
“Justice Agim attended the convocation as an esteemed honouree and an alumnus of the institution, whom the Governing Council had found worthy to be conferred with an Honorary Doctorate Degree in Law (Doctor Honoris Causa).
“He was recognised for his significant contributions to the legal profession, which is a reflection of his commitment to justice, integrity and the rule of law, serving as a model for aspiring legal professionals and students alike.
“Justice Agim was scheduled to attend the burial ceremony of Justice Stanley Alagoa, alongside other Justices of the Supreme Court in Bayelsa State, but sought permission to go for the convocation ceremony.
“We wish to emphasise that Justice Emmanuel Agim’s participation at the ceremony was independent and not as an official representative of any government ministry or department, let alone accompanying any serving or retired government official.
“Any insinuation to the contrary is not only inaccurate, but also undermines the judicial independence that is crucial to our democracy.
“We encourage the public and media to verify information through credible sources before sharing or publishing to prevent the spread of misinformation.”
Recalled that it was Justice Agim that delivered the lead judgment of the Supreme Court on February 28 that ordered the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Accountant General of the Federation not to release statutory monthly allocations to the Rivers State government, led by Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
He was also a member of the court’s panel that nullified the local government election held in the state on October 5, last year, and also ordered the 27 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly loyal to Wike to resume sitting, unhindered.