The 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Mr. Peter Obi has condemned the court decision to halt federal allocations to Rivers State.
Recall that the Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday ordered the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to stop further monthly funding to the Rivers State Government due to alleged constitutional breaches by Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
Justice Joyce Abdulmalik found Governor Fubara in violation of constitutional guidelines for presenting the 2024 budget to just four lawmakers.
Justice Abdulmalik also noted that since January, the state received and spent allocations based on an “illegitimate” budget, describing it as a “constitutional aberration.”
Consequently, the court order restricted the apex bank, state and federation’s accounts from disbursing any funds to the governor.
Reacting to the court order on Friday, Obi called on Nigerians to “appeal for immediate reversal of the decision.”
His words: “In my political trajectory, I have consistently refrained from name-calling or engaging in personal disputes, choosing instead to focus on issues that directly impact the masses, particularly the suffering poor of Nigeria.
“Despite the national attention the Rivers State crisis has gained, I have largely stayed away from matters specific to a state, but a recent court judgment halting allocations to the state—and the resulting consequences—demands attention.
“This curious decision now calls upon every well-meaning individual Nigerian to appeal for its immediate reversal.”
He asked the court to consider the pensioners struggling to survive on a meager income alongside the health workers, school teachers, civil servants, and everyday citizens whose lives are already marked by severe hardship.
“How much more can they endure?” the former Anambra State Governor asked.
According to him, the latest development risks pushing Nigerians even further into distress, untimely deaths—by compounding the challenges they face each day.
The politician emphasised that as leaders—whether in the Executive, Legislative, or Judiciary; decisions and actions should be guided by a commitment to the well being of the less privileged and vulnerable “among us”.
“As we work toward a better future for all, we must genuinely care about the poor and prioritize the well-being of every Nigerian,” he reiterated.
