• ‘Court order stopping Rivers’ allocation invitation to anarchy’
• HURIWA seeks visa ban on judges over alleged political motivated rulings
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has vowed to withdraw the services of its members from all duties if the Federal High Court judgment that barred the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) from paying allocation to Rivers State affects the well-being of its members. The Rivers State Council of NLC took this position during an emergency meeting in Port Harcourt, yesterday.
Chairman of NLC in the state, Alex Agwanwo, who addressed newsmen after the meeting, said the council condemned the decision of the court to stop the state’s allocation, describing it as anti-development.
The labour leader noted that the judgment lacked human face and empathy, adding that workers would be affected heavily. “Everybody knows what taking allocation away from a state will look like. It will put the state into suffering. It will disrupt governance in a state because governance will not take place without funds.”
Chairman of Obio-Akpor Local Government Area, Chijioke Ihunwo, however, expressed confidence that the Appeal Court will upturn the Federal High Court judgment stopping the allocations of the state. He vowed that the people would resist any attempt by anyone to frustrate governance in the state through the judiciary.
Also, Ihunwo, speaking in commemoration of the one-year anniversary of those who lost their lives in the 2023 crisis that led to the falling apart between Governor Siminalayi Fubara and the Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, laid the blame on the doorsteps of the Minister, as well as subsequent shopping of court judgments to destabilize the state.
He said: “The order restraining Rivers allocations shows the high level of desperation from the Minister to control the funds of the state, but we will resist him. Each day, he is using the judiciary to distract the people of the state because he wants to control Rivers resources.”
Ihunwo queried the hope of common Nigerians if the government and relevant authorities allow politicians to hijack the judiciary. He, however, urged President Bola Tinubu not to allow Wike to destroy the judiciary and democracy in the country.
The same sentiment was expressed by the former Senate President and the Chairman Board of Trustees (BoT) of the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Adolphus Wabara. Wabara, who described the judgment as judicial insensitivity and an invitation to anarchy, said that “the judiciary has failed Nigeria.”
He warned that the “ill-conceived court order is capable of cutting off Nigeria’s oil revenue” as youths in the state might be tempted to return to the creeks in response.
He further argued that if the judiciary had handled Rivers crisis “professionally ab initio, instead of dishing out conflicting intentional orders and judgments, Rivers wouldn’t have been in this judicial mess. But for these intentional orders and judgments, INEC would have conducted an election to replace the 27 lawmakers who have constitutionally lost their seats.”
The former Senate President who recalled that he had earlier warned that the smoldering political crisis in Rivers was capable of consuming Nigeria if unchecked, urged President Tinubu to act fast.
Also, the PDP Coalition, an NGO affiliated with the party, has called on the judiciary to maintain impartiality in the ongoing political crisis in Rivers. Dr Emeka Kalu, the national coordinator of the PDP Coalition, in a statement, warned that the court’s decision could plunge the state into further difficulties. He said the situation must be handled carefully to prevent Rivers from falling into more confusion.
Kalu stressed that the judiciary is the last hope of the common man and cannot afford to risk its integrity, urging it to protect its independence by avoiding political influence that could harm democratic processes and legal ethics.
“Law has a process and once it is violated, its penalty takes effect. As stated in Section 109 (1) of the 1999 Constitution, it is clear that the 27 Rivers State lawmakers who defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) lost their seats, and the government’s operations must not be halted simply because of this vacancy.
“Nigeria is currently experiencing economic hardship, and if urgent steps are not taken to address the situation, crime rates will continue to escalate as frustrated citizens turn to any means to make ends meet.”
Kalu emphasised that Governor Fubara committed no offence by choosing to serve the people of Rivers as their governor and that the judiciary must help preserve democracy through its commitment to integrity and social justice.
MEANWHILE, the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) in its condemnation of the recent Federal High Court judgments regarding River, has called for visa restrictions on judges allegedly involved in issuing rulings perceived as politically motivated and capable of destabilising the state.
The group cited recent judgments halting federal allocations to the state as alarming, calling for international embassies, including those of the United States, United Kingdom, and European Union, to impose travel restrictions on judges such as Chief Judge John Tsoho, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, Justice Peter Lifu, Justice Omotosho, Justice Okorowo, and Justice Emeka Nwite.
HURIWA’s call follows Justice Abdulmalik’s controversial ruling to halt financial allocations to Rivers State, which HURIWA equates to a “constitutional coup” that disrupts Nigeria’s democracy.
“This recent ruling, according to HURIWA, effectively disregards a longstanding Supreme Court principle affirming that statutory allocations to states cannot be withheld by federal authorities. The judgment violates established legal precedence, putting Rivers and Governor Fubara’s administration at risk of political destabilisation.
The lawsuit, initiated by a faction within the Rivers State House of Assembly loyal to former Governor Wike, claims the power to halt funds distribution within the state. HURIWA views this as a strategic attempt to undermine Governor Fubara’s administration through judicial means.”
According to HURIWA, such “partisan” judgments blatantly contradict principles of judicial impartiality, as the judiciary should uphold constitutional protections rather than favour specific political agendas. (Guardian)
