Chidi Odinkalu Urges Justice Oriji to Step Aside in $2.1M Wike Land Dispute
Human rights lawyer and former Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission, Chidi Anselm Odinkalu, has called on Justice Sylvanus Oriji of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory to recuse himself from a $2.1 million land dispute involving Jordan Ezenwo Nyesom-Wike, son of FCT Minister Nyesom Wike.
The suit, marked CV/008/2026, was filed by Safwan Garba GY and GY Global Oil and Gas Nigeria Limited against Jordan.
Odinkalu made the call in a statement on Wednesday, raising concerns over what he described as Justice Oriji’s alleged familiarity and relationship with the Wike family.
He argued that the circumstances surrounding the case could create an appearance of bias and affect public confidence in the proceedings.
Odinkalu cited the 1983 Anambra State governorship election petition involving Jim Nwobodo and Christian Onoh as an example of a judge recusing himself because of his familiarity with the parties.
He said Justice Anthony Aniagolu had stepped aside from the Supreme Court panel after proceedings began because he knew both parties and came from the same neighbourhood as Onoh.
Odinkalu questioned why the present case had been assigned to Justice Oriji, alleging that the judge is from Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State and is reputedly related to the Wike family.
He wrote that even if the alleged relationship did not exist, Justice Oriji was “well known to the Wikes” and they were from the same neighbourhood in Obio/Akpor.
According to Odinkalu, the circumstances raised concerns about the credibility of the proceedings.
“I am shocked that: 1. The Chief Judge of @fcthighcourt decided to assign this case to this judge. Surely, he is not so innocent or so naive as not to know better; and 2. The presiding judge should choose in these circumstances to accept to sit on this case,” he said.
Odinkalu also referred to the constitutional requirement that courts be constituted in a manner that guarantees independence and impartiality.
He argued that Justice Oriji could face questions over the case regardless of the eventual outcome.
“The judge is in an impossible position. Whether the case succeeds or fails, extraneous factors will be imputed,” he said.
The former NHRC chairman also questioned why the claimants’ lawyers had apparently not asked the judge to recuse himself.
He urged Justice Oriji to step aside, saying, “This is not a case in which justice can be seen to be done as the court is presently constituted.”
The case concerns allegations by the claimants that Jordan agreed to facilitate the acquisition of 30 hectares of land in Katampe and another 30 hectares in Guzape, Abuja.
They alleged that Jordan demanded $2.1 million, comprising $2 million allegedly meant for his father and $100,000 for himself.
The claimants said the money was allegedly paid in cash on September 26, 2025, and that Jordan subsequently failed to facilitate the land transactions or refund the money.
Jordan has denied the allegations.
In his defence, he reportedly said he did not know the claimants and had never met them in London, Nigeria or elsewhere. He also disputed the alleged payment and denied receiving the $2.1 million or signing the acknowledgment of receipt.
Jordan further claimed that the signature on the alleged acknowledgment was forged and that he was travelling from Abuja to London on September 26, 2025.
During resumed proceedings, he told the court that he was outside Nigeria on the date the claimants alleged the money was delivered.
When asked which passport he used, Jordan said he travelled with his American passport.
Following the response, counsel to the claimants, Hamza Dantani, applied for an order compelling Jordan to produce the passport.
Justice Oriji granted the application and ordered him to produce the document.
The case remains before the FCT High Court, while the allegations by both sides are yet to be finally determined by the court.
