Allocations: Stop Wike from setting Rivers ablaze – Lawyers tell Tinubu

Activist lawyer, Madubuachi Idam has called on President Bola Tinubu to stop the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike from setting Rivers State ablaze.

Idam asked Tinubu not to allow Wike use his allies in suspending Rivers State allocations because he once criticized former President Olusegun Obasanjo for a similar action.

DAILY POST had reported on Wednesday that a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja restrained the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, from further disbursing financial allocations to the Rivers State government.

The presiding judge, Joyce Abdulmalik, ruled that funds from the federation account should not be released to the state pending the passage of a lawful appropriation act by a validly constituted house of assembly.

The suit was filed by Martins Amaewhule-led Rivers State House of Assembly.

Abdulmalik held that Siminalayi Fubara, the Rivers State Governor, erred in presenting the 2024 Appropriation Bill to a “not properly constituted” five-member assembly.

Reacting, Madubuachi said anarchy looms in Rivers State with the judgement issued.

A statement by Maduabuchi said: “Anarchy looms in Rivers State and no thanks to the judgment starving the state of its statutory allocations. Wike should be stopped by President Tinubu else Rivers State will go in flames. The danger is already insight.

“President Tinubu shouldn’t have permitted Wike’s move ( through his allies) to suspend Rivers’ allocation having variously criticised President Obasanjo for taking similar action against him when he was governor of Lagos State.

“No man’s personal desire should be adjudged superior to that of the State. In a democratic setting, every state must exist as a sovereign unit of a country and no individual must Lord himself over any state.

“The Nigerian Court must not only be guided by law but also overriding public interest in deciding matters brought before it.

“A fragile nation like Nigeria whose citizens are already threatened by hunger and hardship resulting from poor leadership decisions at the Center must not be further incited against the citizens. There must be a limit to political rascality.”