Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar has cautioned the judiciary against decisions that could incite unrest in Rivers State, following a recent Federal High Court ruling in Abuja that ordered the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to suspend all payments to the state.
In a statement issued by his Media Adviser, Paul Ibe, Atiku expressed concern over the court’s decision, alleging that “elements loyal to the Federal Government” were influencing the outcome behind the scenes.
Atiku questioned the motives behind Justice Joyce Abdulmalik’s ruling, especially given that Rivers State had already appealed the earlier Court of Appeal judgment regarding the legality of its 2024 budget.
He warned that such judicial actions could have serious consequences for peace and stability in the state.
The statement quoted Atiku as saying, “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.
He, however, appealed to the nation’s top judge to ensure that those found wanting are disciplined in order to restore the fading glory of the judiciary.
The former Vice President further said, “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.”