Coming to Abuja reminded me of my defeat at the PDP presidential primary – Wike

Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike, said on Friday, that his coming to Abuja reminded him of his defeat during the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)’s presidential primary, held May 28 at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium.

Wike was in Abuja for a book launch in honour of retired Supreme Court Justice Abdu Aboki.

The book, titled: “Flowing Justice: Selected Leading Judgments of the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court,” authored by Justice Aboki was unveiled by the Gov Wike.

“I want to once again congratulate My Lord, Hon Justice Abdu Aboki, JSC, for giving me this opportunity to be here and to be the chief launcher.

“But why I said My Lord did not do well is because if he had held this in Lagos or Kano, I would have been happy,” the governor said.

According to him, when he arrived in Abuja and sighted the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, he recalled the PDP presidential primary election experience.

“When I landed and then passed through the venue, I said, I think My Lord intentionally wanted me to remember 28 and 29 of May, of what happened.

“Well, but life continues,” he said jokingly.

According to him, Friday, September 16, was his first time of coming to Abuja after losing the election.

Wike said unlike Governor Yahaya Bello, also present at the event, who had visited Abuja for a number of times, even after losing the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential primary, he had remained in his state.

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“I am not like Yahaya Bello, who lost and he comes (to Abuja) every day,” he added.

He hailed Justice Aboki’s commitment to protection of justice and rule of law, noting that “Justice Aboki is a consummate jurist who has left his name indelibly in the sands of time and judicial history”.

He added: “While judges are of different social, economic and political persuasion, Honourable Justice Abdu Aboki prides himself among the progressive rank that stands up to what is right and just, and believes that the law and the constitution, as interpreted and enforced by the court, must both protect and advance the unity and wellbeing of the nation and her citizens.”

Justice Aboki, who said he felt excited and elated after his retirement in good health, thanked everybody for attending the occasion.

He urged the Federal Government to promptly appoint replacement for those who have left the apex court’s Bench, noting that those left behind would now be overburdened with his exit and that of those before him.

Aboki, therefore, advocated reforms, particularly the amendment of the constitution to reduce the number of cases filed at the Supreme Court.

He said certain interlocutory applications should not be countenanced by the Supreme Court, while other political cases, except that of the presidential election should terminate at the court below.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Wike, unveiled 200 copies of the book with the sum of N100 million.

The event put together by a group of senior lawyers, including Prof. Yemi Akinseye-George, SAN, and Ahmed Raji, SAN, had in attendance a number of past and serving justices of the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal, politicians, traditional rulers, among others.