Atiku Reacts To Seizure of Rivers State Allocation, Says Nigerians Are Losing Confidence in Judiciary

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has condemned a court order barring the allocation of finances to Rivers State.

On Wednesday, the Federal High Court in Abuja enjoined the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) from further allocating funds to the Rivers State government.

Justice Joyce Abdulmalik ruled that funds from the federal account should not be released to the state until a validly constituted lawful appropriation act by the legislature is passed.

The lawsuit was brought by the Rivers State Assembly led by Martins Amaewhule.

Abdulmalik said that Rivers State Governor Sim Fubara erred in submitting the 2024 spending bill to the five-member assembly, which was “not properly constituted.”

Reacting in a statement on Wednesday by Paul Ibe, his media adviser, Abubakar warned that the judiciary’s actions could “destabilise” Rivers state.

He said it was appalling that “elements loyal to the federal government were pulling strings” from behind.

He questioned Abdulmalik’s decision to issue an injunction while Rivers state’s legal challenge was still underway at the court of appeal.

“Last week the Court of Appeal declared that the Rivers State budget was illegal because it was passed by an inchoate assembly,” the statement reads.

“The court ordered Governor Siminalayi Fubara to present the budget afresh — the Rivers State Government has already filed a notice of appeal so that the Supreme Court can hear the matter.

“However, some elements in the Bola Tinubu administration have procured a judgement intended to undermine the Supreme Court.

“Even before the judgment was delivered, legal luminary, Femi Falana (SAN) had alerted the Chief Justice of the Federal High Court, Justice John Tsoho of possible compromise after house gifts had been presented to judges in Abuja. Sadly, Falana’s warning was ignored.”

Atiku said the country has “descended into the theatre of the absurd” since President Bola Tinubu administration took office.

He added that the “courts play a more ignoble role in fostering political crises within political parties and even in states.”

“From the emirship tussle in Kano State to the Rivers imbroglio where courts are going as far as preventing elections from holding, taking Nigeria back to the dark days of June 12, 1993 where polls were annulled,” he said.

“Sadly, under the leadership of those who claim to have fought for Nigeria’s democracy, the country is descending into chaos with conflicting orders from courts of coordinate jurisdiction flying all over the place while judges are being induced in the name of empowerment and provision of houses.

“The result is that Nigerians are gradually losing confidence in an institution which prides itself as the last hope of the common man.

“Foreign investors will avoid any place where judgments can be bought by the highest bidder.

“Nigeria should not descend to the Hobessian state of nature where life is short, nasty and brutish, where citizens opt for self-help. Rivers State accounts for almost 25% of Nigeria’s oil assets.

“For a country facing an economic crisis worsened by vandalism and banditry, Tinubu should put his 2027 ambition aside and put Nigeria’s interest first.”

Atiku, however, commended Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, the chief justice of Nigeria (CJN), for summoning judges handling Rivers state cases.

He urged the CJN to discipline errant judges to restore the judiciary’s integrity.