The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has celebrated following the Supreme Court’s ruling in favor of the 27 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
On Friday, the apex court ordered the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Accountant General of the Federation to halt financial allocations to the Rivers State government. The decision will remain in force until Governor Sim Fubara ceases all “illegal, unlawful, and unconstitutional” activities.
The court ruled that funds would only be released to the state government once a lawful Appropriation Law is enacted by the House of Assembly under Speaker Martin Amaewhule, a loyalist of Wike.
Delivering the judgment, Justice Emmanuel Akomaye Agim ordered the 27 lawmakers, led by Amaewhule, to resume their functions immediately. The five-man panel, led by Justice Musa Uwani Aba-Aji, unanimously held that it was an aberration for Fubara to govern with only four out of the 32 Assembly members.
Additionally, the court nullified the local government elections held in Rivers State on October 5, 2024, declaring them “null, void, invalid, and illegal.”
Following the ruling, Wike’s spokesman, Lere Olayinka, shared a video of the minister singing and praising God alongside former Enugu State Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi. In the clip, Wike could be heard singing, “I never knew He will honor me this way…”
Olayinka captioned the video: “Rivers Crisis: I dey hear with my left ear say the Opobo Judas of Rivers is not smiling at all. The Opobo Judas of Rivers was warned. Supreme Court has recognized Martins Amaewhule as the Speaker of Rivers State House of Assembly. DAZZOL.”
https://x.com/DeeOneAyekooto/status/1895449573797322847?t=waohSkT1cKsmkHfgYpaiXg&s=19
