The Supreme Court of Nigeria has dismissed claims suggesting that Justice Emmanuel Agim accompanied the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, to the University of Calabar’s convocation ceremony.
In a statement released on Monday, the apex court’s Director of Information and Public Relations, Akande Festus, clarified that Justice Agim attended the event in his capacity as an honoree and distinguished alumnus of the university. He was recognized by the institution’s Governing Council with an Honorary Doctorate Degree in Law for his contributions to the legal profession.
“We wish to clarify the circumstances surrounding the attendance of Hon. Justice Emmanuel Akomaye Agim at the convocation ceremony of the University of Calabar on Saturday, March 22, 2025. Reports suggesting that he accompanied the Hon. Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mr. Nyesom Wike, to the ceremony are completely false,” Festus stated.
The Supreme Court emphasized that Justice Agim’s presence at the event was unrelated to any government function, noting that he was originally scheduled to attend the burial ceremony of Justice Stanley Alagoa in Bayelsa State but was granted permission to attend the convocation instead.
The statement further stressed that any claim suggesting otherwise is misleading and an attempt to undermine the independence of the judiciary.
“Any insinuation to the contrary is not only inaccurate but undermines the judicial independence that is crucial to our democracy. We urge the public and media to verify information through credible sources before sharing or publishing to prevent the spread of misinformation,” the statement concluded.
