Rivers State Money Wahala: Court Don Block Allocation
Di image resemble bank vault wey dey symbolize di court order wey block Rivers State money allocation.
Di Court of Appeal for Abuja don start their own, for the Rivers State allocation matter. Di state Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, dey serious wahala as dem talk say him no go fit see any allocation money again for now. All dis tori na because one Federal High Court wey sit for Abuja talk say make Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) no release Rivers State allocation money till dem clear dis matter.
Di gov’nor, Siminalayi Fubara, bin dey celebrate one small victory after one plan to comot am from office fail. But now, e no dey easy for di gov’nor because di Martin Amaewhule-led Rivers State House of Assembly wey dey loyal to FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, don dey push. Fubara yan say e dey hope say Appeal Court go turn di judgement around, sake of di koko way court talk no be correct.
Di matter start after Justice Joyce Abdulmalik for Abuja High Court yan say make Rivers State Gov’nor no touch di allocation money again, say di way e present di 2024 budget no follow due process. Dem say e present di budget in front of only four Assembly members wey stand gidigba with am, wey no follow constitution law. She call am “gross violation” of di 1999 Constitution.
Dem still talk say Fubara no dey respect di 2024 budget wey court nullify. Di judge yan say make CBN, di Accountant-General of di Federation, Zenith Bank, and Access Bank no gree Fubara touch di money wey dey Rivers account. Di judge yan, “Di state House of Assembly wey dem do am with only four people, no be di right way to do am. If him wan do budget, e suppose carry am go correct House of Assembly.” Na serious gbege!
Di Rivers Information Commissioner, Joseph Johnson, bin talk say dem dey appeal di judgment, and dem no dey shake. According to am, di sign wey show say Appeal Court go turn di matter plenty, so Rivers State people no suppose worry.
Johnson yan, “We sabi say dis judgment go land for dis kind matter, especially when di judge refuse make 23 council chairmen enter as ‘join-body,’ and refuse di state from changing lawyer. Di judge no even look di federal high court jurisdiction wey we raise objection on top am.”
As di matter don land Appeal Court, Johnson talk say if di judgment no change, na wahala for local government workers and teachers. “Di thing go affect di civil servants for di third tier of government, e go affect teachers, and all di people wey dey collect salary for di council,” he yan.
One member for Amaewhule-led House of Assembly for Rivers State yan say di judgment dey good for rule of law, and dem go continue dey press Gov’nor Fubara to do di correct thing. Chibuike Ikenga, di Publicity Secretary for Okocha-led APC, yan say dis kind ruling go make everybody obey di law if peace go dey.
On di other hand, some people feel say di judge dey biased. Rivers Elders Council member, Chief Anabs Sara-Igbe, yan say di judge bin get mind to give di judgment from di way e handle di case. “E clear say di judge don decide from di beginning, no matter wetin we talk, she just wan give judgment,” Sara-Igbe talk.
Di pro-Wike group dey happy say di court dey hold ground on top Fubara head. Di case don divide di Rivers State people, as pro-Wike supporters dey jubilate say na rule of law dey play here.
Dis matter no end as di case still dey go Appeal Court. While Rivers Gov’nor dey hope say court go turn di matter around, people dey wait to see wetin go happen next. For now, na so di gbege waka, as everybody dey look di next chapter of dis court palava.
