The Supreme Court, in its ruling on Friday, barred the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the Accountant General of the Federation, and other agencies from releasing funds to the Rivers State Government until it complies with court orders.
The court described the state government’s actions as a “flagrant disobedience to court orders.”
A five-man panel of justices unanimously dismissed the cross-appeal filed by Governor Siminalayi Fubara, which challenged the validity of the Rivers State House of Assembly led by Martin Amaewhule as Speaker.
Additionally, the Supreme Court nullified the recent local government elections in the state, ruling that the election grossly violated the Electoral Act.
Following the verdict, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, addressed reporters, commending the judiciary for upholding the rule of law.
“If you allow this, one day one member will constitute an assembly and there is nothing you can do, it is unheard of. We must commend the judiciary for being bold to say this impunity must not be allowed,” Wike said.
“You failed to follow the Electoral Act in terms of conducting local government elections. People were hailing him (Governor Siminalayi Fubara) ‘Yes you have done well.’”
Wike, a former governor of Rivers State, also criticized the Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors’ Forum and Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, for supporting Governor Fubara in the ongoing crisis.
“I hope they will also hail him today. I hope the Chairman of the PDP Governors Forum will also hail him today. Supreme Court has come out to say enough is enough, we must not truncate our democracy,” he added.
Wike further stated that the legal battle, which has lasted for over 15 months, has now been conclusively settled by the highest court in the land.
He asserted that the only possible appeal left is “to God.”
“People are saying Wike Wike, It’s not about me, how can a man demolish the edifice of the state assembly and take his fraction to his house, it is unheard of.
“For me, it is happiness for Nigerians as well as Rivers people, the impunity must stop. You can’t allow such to happen. We cannot allow anyone to truncate the democracy of the country,” he stated.
The FCT Minister also emphasized that legal competence, not the number of lawyers hired, determines the outcome of cases.
“It is not about hiring 40 Senior Advocates of Nigeria, it is about upholding the rule of law and having competent people to handle the case,” he concluded.
