The Supreme Court of Nigeria delivered a ruling on Friday that directly impacts the governance of Rivers State.
The court barred the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Accountant General of the Federation from releasing the state’s statutory monthly allocations.
News About Nigeria reports that the apex court also nullified the results of the October 5, 2024, Local Government Elections in the state.
In another ruling, the court reinstated 27 lawmakers who are loyal to the former governor and current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, and ordered them to resume their legislative duties.
The ruling has sparked strong reactions from different political figures. Minister Wike welcomed the decision, calling it the end of lawlessness in Rivers State.
He criticized Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s administration, saying that all his decisions and appointments have now been invalidated.
On the other hand, Governor Fubara stated that his government would carefully assess the situation before making any decisions in response.
A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, condemned the judgment, describing it as a direct attack on Rivers State.
He argued that it undermines democracy and called on Nigerians to resist what he termed an attempt to destabilize the state’s governance.
The Supreme Court’s ruling was based on its interpretation of Governor Fubara’s handling of the 2024 state budget.
The court found that Fubara had presented the budget to only four lawmakers instead of the full House of Assembly.
According to the judgment, the 27 lawmakers remained valid members of the Assembly since there was no evidence confirming their defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC.
The court also criticized the governor’s decision to withdraw legal documents he had previously filed regarding the lawmakers’ legitimacy.
This, the justices ruled, was an admission of their claims that he misused his executive powers.
Furthermore, the court rejected Fubara’s argument that he invoked the doctrine of necessity to justify presenting the budget to only four legislators.
The justices ruled that political conflicts could not be used as an excuse to ignore a court order.
In another ruling, the court annulled the recent Local Government Elections in Rivers State.
It ruled that the elections violated the Electoral Act because they were conducted without a proper review of the voters’ register.
This decision reversed an earlier ruling by the Court of Appeal, which had upheld the elections.
Governor Fubara reacted to the judgment by urging residents to remain calm while his administration examines the court’s decision.
He assured the people that his government remained committed to protecting the interests of the state.
Minister Wike, however, argued that the ruling exposes constitutional violations by the governor.
He stated that Fubara’s government had spent public funds without proper legislative approval, a move he described as an impeachable offense.
Despite this, Wike said he would not advise the reinstated lawmakers to begin impeachment proceedings against the governor.
The APC in Rivers State praised the Supreme Court’s decision, saying it reinforces the importance of obeying the law.
The party called on Governor Fubara to accept the ruling and work with the reinstated legislators to restore order in the state.
