Rivers: Nigerians are losing confidence in judiciary — Atiku

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has criticised a court decision blocking Rivers State from receiving its share of federal allocation.

A federal high court in Abuja on Wednesday ordered the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to stop sending allocations to Rivers State.

Judge Joyce Abdulmalik ruled that no federal funds should go to the state until its properly formed state assembly passes a legal budget.

The case was brought by the Rivers State assembly group led by Martins Amaewhule.

The judge said Governor Siminalayi Fubara was wrong to present the 2024 budget to just five assembly members, which she said wasn’t properly formed.

Responding Wednesday through his media adviser, Paul Ibe, Abubakar warned that these court actions could create instability in Rivers state.

He claimed people loyal to the federal government were secretly influencing these decisions.

He questioned why Judge Abdulmalik blocked the funds while Rivers State’s appeal was still being heard in a higher court.

“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 Nigeria has become chaotic since President Bola Tinubu took office, with courts causing more political problems within parties and 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 praised Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) Kudirat Kekere-Ekun for calling judges handling Rivers State cases to meet with her. He urged the CJN to punish judges who misbehave to restore trust in the courts.