A former National Publicity Secretary of the defunct New Peoples Democratic Party, nPDP, Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze says it appears that President Bola Tinubu is backing his minister, Nyesom Wike, to unleash terror in Rivers State.
The All Progressives Congress, APC, chieftain said this in reaction to the ruling of the Federal High Court, Abuja, which stopped the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, from disbursing monthly federal allocations to Rivers State.
Newsmen reported earlier on Wednesday that the Federal High Court in Abuja stopped the CBN from further releasing monthly financial allocations to the Rivers State Government.
The court held that the receipt and disbursement of monthly allocations since January this year by Governor Siminalayi Fubara is a constitutional somersault and aberration that must not be allowed to continue.
Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, who issued the order on Wednesday, held that the presentation of the 2024 budget by Fubara before a 4-member Rivers House of Assembly was an affront to the Constitution.
Specifically, the judge said that Fubara’s action in implementing the unlawful budget smacked of gross violation of the 1999 Constitution he swore to protect.
The judge, therefore, restrained CBN, Accountant General of the Federation, Zenith Bank and Access Bank from further allowing Fubara to access money from the Consolidated Revenue and Federation Account.
Reacting, Ezeh said the judgement is an exercise in futility.
He said, “I can state categorically and unequivocally that the judge erred as he refused to take account of the fact that those he was referring to as the legitimate State House of Assembly by the mere fact of the defection by her members when PDP was not in division ought not to be used as a means to pass such an evil judgement which is nothing but means to cause unprecedented chaos in Rivers State.
“It is sad and unfortunate that this is the first time this type of a draconian order can be made against any state in Nigeria.
“Honestly, this judgment has further proven to some Nigerians with discerning mind that the President Bola Tinubu administration is not really helping matters as far as the crisis in Rivers State is concerned.
“Rather than assume a fatherly and statesman role, the body language of Mr President and his suspicious silence go to show that he is somewhat supporting the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Barr. Nyesom Wike, to unleash terror and instability on Rivers State.
“For Wike to have sold himself to be used to undermine the development of Rivers State simply demonstrates his hatred for the State. Let those that celebrate this level of wickedness against a state that have contributed so much for the development of this nation, have a rethink because they don’t know what are ahead of them.
“Rivers State occupies a very sensitive status in Nigeria’s geopolitics, and any attempt to destabilize the state, is a call to derail Nigeria’s democratic governance.
“Of all the states in Nigeria, it is Rivers, the revenue generator of Nigeria, that is marked for destruction because of one man’s greed and sychophancy.
“Denying the people of Rivers State of their allocations shows that there is no end in sight for the crisis rocking the State due to Wike’s fight to wrestle the political structure of the PDP and APC from Governor Fubara.
“It’s an interesting moment, as people weigh the power of precedent and wonder how the judiciary will navigate this delicate territory.
“As citizens, it’s crucial to stay informed and ensure that justice remains consistent.
“As much as the state will appeal this brazen rape and affront on its people, let me appeal to all and sundry to be calm and not play into the hands of those desiring to declare state of emergency in Rivers State.
“Allowing a minister in his administration to mastermind political crisis in his state has continued to draw condemnation and negative criticisms to the Tinubu administration.”