…calls for peace in Rivers State
By Ismaila Jimoh, Abuja
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, (FCT) Barr. Nyesom Wike has urged the Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara to obey the Supreme Court judgement, saying that adhering to the rule of law remains the only way the country will move forward.
Wike gave this advise while reacting to the Supreme Court judgement which nullified last year’s local government elections in the state, reinstated the judgement that barred the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Accountant General of the Federation from releasing statutory monthly allocations to the state and also affirmed the Martins Amaewhule-led Rivers State House of Assembly members as valid lawmakers.
The Minister, surrounded by supporters who thronged his home in Abuja in solidarity while speaking to journalists on Friday, expressed gratitude for the Supreme Court’s decision in resolving a prolonged legal dispute.
He highlighted the court’s affirmation of the legislature’s essential role in a democracy and the legitimacy of a government operating without properly constituted assembly, adding that the apex court’s judgement has ended impunity in Rivers State.
His word: “The Supreme Court has made it clear that you cannot have a democracy without a legislature. The Supreme Court has made it clear that you cannot say that there is a government without a legislature. It is unheard of where anybody will say three people will constitute an assembly to make law for the entire State. It has nothing to do with an individual, whether you like this person’s face or not. What is important is that, can three people make law for a State, not to even talk of appropriation”.
Wike condemned the actions taken by Governor Fubara, including expenditure without appropriation, demolition of the House of Assembly building, and appointment of Commissioners without legislative approval describing them as unacceptable in a democratic society.
“You spent money without appropriation. Who does that? One man will spend trillions of naira without the legislature approving it. What can be considered an infraction more than that? You sat on your own spending state money without any legislative approval. It has never happened. Do you need anybody to tell you now that the Governor has committed an impeachable offence?” Wike observed.
He went further: “A Governor will go and bring down a house of the Legislature and we act as if nothing has happened; an independent arm of government and people pretend as if nothing has gone wrong… You went on appeal, the Court of Appeal said this is wrong. We can’t continue with this.”
“Democracy is for everybody. You can’t continue to play as if you are God. You must play by the rules. You can say I will do this, nothing will happen. But something will happen just like it has happened today… The Supreme Court has shown it today that we must allow things to be correct for this country to move forward.
“For this democracy to survive, things must be done very correctly, not you just bulldoze your way because you are a governor. Nobody is saying you shouldn’t exercise the power of a governor but it must be exercised constitutionally as the law provides,” he added.
The FCT Minister advised the governor to Obey the Supreme Court judgment and present his budget. “The legislature means well for the people. It’s not about you carrying sycophants, carrying judicial merchants who will tell you we have contact here. It doesn’t work that way.”
The FCT Minister however called for peace and adherence to the rule of law in Rivers State, encouraging all parties to respect the judicial process and work towards restoring stability and good governance.
“My recommendation, Rivers people have been very peaceful and patient and let them continue to be patient. But the right thing must be done, nothing more.”
