Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has faulted moves by the Nigerian Senate to pass a bill seeking to create two campuses of the Nigerian Law School in each geo-political zone in the country.

The governor described the move as politically motivated.

The bill is titled, ‘A bill for an Act to amend the Legal Education (Consolidation etc.) Act by establishing the campuses for the Nigerian Law School, and for other related matters’.

According to the Governor, the proponents of the bill are merely trying to score cheap political points in their constituencies ahead of the 2023 general election.

He made the claim during an unscheduled inspection of ongoing construction work at the Dr. Nabo Graham Douglas Campus of the Nigerian Law School, Port Harcourt on Wednesday.

Wike accused the lawmakers sponsoring the bill of politicising the establishment of Nigerian Law School campuses, despite evidence that the Federal Government cannot adequately fund the existing ones.

He said, “It is so unfortunate in this country that everything is being politicised. We are not perturbed because the Federal Government approved the establishment of this Law School. We got a letter from Mr. President through the Honourable, 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 all the 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”.

The Governor further stressed the need for the law school to be insulated from politics.