The Acting Chairman of the Rivers State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Tony Okocha, has expressed satisfaction with the Federal High Court’s ruling that halted the monthly allocations from the Federation Account to Rivers State.
Okocha made the declaration in Abuja on Friday at a news briefing.
Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Abuja Federal High Court ruled on Wednesday that the presentation of the 2024 budget by Governor Fubara before a four-member Rivers House of Assembly was a breach of constitutional provisions.
She also described Fubara’s receipt and disbursement of monthly allocations since then as a constitutional aberration.
Justice Abdulmalik further held that Rivers State’s action in implementing an unlawful budget constituted a gross violation of the 1999 Constitution, which Governor Fubara swore to protect.
The court ordered the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Accountant-General of the Federation, Zenith Bank, and Access Bank to prevent Fubara from accessing funds from the Consolidated Revenue and Federation Accounts.
The Chairman of the Rivers APC chapter stated that Governor Fubara must be compelled to govern in accordance with the 1999 Constitution, which he pledged to uphold.
He said, “As a political party, the All Progressives Congress, we stand by the judgement of the court because it is what holds sway in civil society; it is the court, not one man morality.”
“We are also using this opportunity to speak against attempts to disparage innocent persons, namely Nyesom Wike, the FCT Minister. In all the cases in court, there are about 32 cases; he is not a party to any. Why bring in the President?”
On the recent attempt by some stakeholders and elders in Niger Delta to reconcile the gladiators in the Rivers crisis, Okocha said such a move was too late.
Okocha said, “I say it’s foolishness for anyone to cry when the head is off. There is also this aphorism that you don’t cry over spilt milk.
“Where have these elders been? Where? The matter is narrowing down, if you ask me, because the only other hurdle to escape is the Supreme Court.
“What are the elders coming to do at this late hour if they actually would want to come? What are they coming to do? They are the same people who told the governor that you are a know-all and do-all; they encouraged the governor to believe that his head was bigger than his pillow.
“They were the ones, they told him, ‘Look, your powers are elastic, what can you not do?’ The governor agreed to that, and today, the Ikwerre man tells you that not everybody who comes to plan your building will be part of the building.
“A lot of them have disappeared into thin air; at the time they came to counsel the governor against the decision that he signed to, they had lined their pockets. And the governor is on the hot seat. So, to answer your question, it is too late.
“But we want peace. It is a simple thing. See, the only way to bring peace is to follow the law.”
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