Rivers crisis, theatre of the absurd — NDCC

As reactions continue to trail the judgement of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on the Rivers State fund allocation stopped by a Federal High Court, the National Democratic and Change Coalition (NDCC) has described the crisis rocking the state as a theatre of the absurd.

Led by Mr John Uloko Esq., the Coalition hailed Justice Joyce Abdulmalik for holding that, since January 2024, Rivers State has received and spent allocations based on an “illegitimate” budget, thereby describing it as a “constitutional aberration.”

The coalition called on Governor Siminalayi Fubara to refund all monies spent without appropriation to the state coffers.

While expressing satisfaction over the ruling, the Coalition said the people of Rivers have been vindicated, and long-awaited justice has been served to the governor.

Recall that a Federal High Court in Abuja, on Wednesday, barred the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) from disbursing further monthly allocations to the Rivers State Government, citing alleged constitutional violations by Governor Fubara.

In her ruling, Justice Abdulmalik found that Governor Fubara’s presentation of the 2024 budget to a four-member House of Assembly breached constitutional protocol.

The court order further restricts the CBN, the Accountant General of the Federation (AGF), and the state’s accounts at Zenith Bank and Access Bank from releasing any funds to Fubara.

The coalition noted: “The NDCC, made up of a group of lawyers, has always been of the view that what is going on in Rivers State is a theatre of the absurd that persistently violates the constitution, stands logic on its head, and even defies mathematical reasoning to the extent that four members were allowed to constitute themselves into a House of Assembly that is meant to have 32 members.”

“We, therefore, commend Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court in Abuja for holding that Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s presentation of the 2024 budget before a four-member Rivers House of Assembly was an affront to the constitutional provision.

“This ruling is a victory for democracy and will teach rogue governors the bitter lesson that the Constitution of the Federal Republic must be respected and the sanctity of our democratic institutions upheld irrespective of their political desperation. Operating an illegal State Assembly of four men by any Governor is something everyone should condemn in totality, and we welcome the court’s judgement.

“In the wake of this judgement, NDCC urges Governor Fubara to immediately reverse all his decisions and actions based on the illegitimate Assembly, since they all suffer the same defect as the budget the court threw out.

“The Governor must also strongly consider refunding all the Rivers State funds illegally expended from January to date.

“We further advise Governor Fubara to urgently do the needful by resubmitting the state’s budget to the legitimate Rivers State House of Assembly for due process to be followed so that governance is not truncated and the people are not plunged into more misery than they have already endured from the Governor being absorbed in his political sabre-rattling.

“Finally, Governor Fubara must allow Rivers State to breathe by stopping all the unnecessary squabbling that has served no useful purpose.”