Don’t set Rivers State on fire – Atiku warns Judiciary over court ruling halting LGA allocation

Former Vice President of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar has warned the judiciary not to engage in acts capable of setting Rivers State on fire.

His caution comes in the wake of Wednesday’s order by a Federal High Court in Abuja, telling the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to halt all payments to the state.

In a statement signed on his behalf by his Media Adviser, Paul Ibe on Wednesday, October 30, Atiku said it was appalling that “some elements loyal to the Federal Government were pulling the strings from behind” the scenes.

Atiku asked why Justice Joyce Abdulmalik issued the order when it was public knowledge that Rivers State had already challenged the Court of Appeal’s judgment on the legality of Rivers State’s 2024 budget.

The statement reads, “Last week, the Court of Appeal declared that the Rivers State budget was illegal because it was passed by an inchoate assembly. 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 hailed the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, for summoning judges sitting on the Rivers State cases.

“Nigeria has descended into the theatre of the absurd since the Tinubu administration took office.

“Courts are playing 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.

“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.

“We call on the Nigerian judiciary to restore its image before it gets too late.”