Attempt by Wike to undermine flow of allocations to Rivers LGAs will be resisted – Frank

…urges courts not to entertain baseless petitions

By Tunde Opalana

Former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Timi Frank has said that attempt by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, to block the release of funds from the Federation Account to 22 local government areas in Rivers State will vehemently be resisted.

He said reliable sources hinted that the former governor of Rivers State is plotting judicial restriction to free flow of allocations to the councils.

This, he said would be tantamount to subverting development in Rivers State at the grassroots and therefore warned Wike to perish the thought for the benefit of the people of Rivers State.

He warned that any move to stifle democracy in Rivers State could spark wider unrest and reverse progress.

Frank in a statement claimed that Wike and his allies, who are reportedly opposed to the Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, are expected to approach a Federal High Court in Abuja soon to request an injunction that would freeze monthly funds allocation to the LGAs.

He said the petition would claim that the elections were conducted in defiance of a prior court ruling.

Frank, however, called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to prevent Wike from damaging his democratic legacy by orchestrating a court ruling similar to the one that affected local councils in Lagos during Tinubu’s tenure as governor under ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo.

Frank warned the judiciary against entertaining any baseless petitions aimed at advancing Wike’s agenda, while condemning the police for their partisan involvement in the state’s political crisis.

Frank in the statement said “the people of Rivers State have elected their council representatives in line with a recent Supreme Court ruling that mandated the democratization of all LGAs in Nigeria. Any attempt to undermine this will be resisted.”