Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike has taken a swipe at the Senate for considering a bill that seeks to establish two campuses of the Nigerian Law School in each of the six geopolitical zones. The governor, who described the move as politically motivated, said the proponents of the bill merely want to score a cheap political point in their constituencies ahead of the 2023 general elections. Gov. Wike made this assertion yesterday during an unscheduled inspection of the construction work at the Dr. Nabo Graham Douglas Campus of the Nigerian Law School, Port Harcourt.
He said it is unfortunate that some senators want to politicize the establishment of the Nigerian Law School campuses, even when there is glaring evidence that the federal government cannot adequately fund the existing ones. The governor stated that the proposal that in the South-South zone, the campus of the Nigerian Law School should be in Yenagoa and another in the village of the Deputy Senate President, when approval had been given for the establishment of the campus in Port Harcourt, smacks of petty politics. According to him, there is no way the Council of Legal Education will support the politically induced proliferation of law school campuses across the country. “It is so unfortunate in this country that everything is being politicized. We are not perturbed because the federal government approved the establishment of this law school. We got a letter from Mr. President through the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, approving the establishment of this law school.
“And he stated graciously through the Council of Legal Education that it should be established here in Port Harcourt. “We said we are going to provide the entire necessary infrastructure. I can see the level of infrastructure that is being provided, which of course I have said before is going to be world-class infrastructure that is supposed to be in a law school. “We are not only providing this infrastructure, but we are also providing accommodation where the lecturers will live with all other things attached to it. And this law school will have its own investment to take care of the law school whether the government is here or not.
“From what I heard, the Deputy Senate President through some other lawmakers are sponsoring a bill to establish two schools per zone, and then saying that one will be in Yenagoa and one in Delta State, in the village of the Deputy Senate President. It is most unfortunate,” he said. Gov. Wike noted that a law school is a highly technical institution that should be insulated from politics and urged those behind the bill seeking the establishment of more law school campuses to also bear in mind the cost of funding them. “Today, to even fund one law school, see how problematic it is. Go to the Abuja Law School, go to Yenagoa Law School, see how they are? And see what we are doing.