Politics

Opposition Lawmakers Reject Judgment On Rivers Allocations Seizure

Published

8 months ago

October 30, 2024

A coalition of opposition lawmakers have rejected the judgment of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja which ordered the seizure of statutory allocations to the Rivers State Government on Wednesday.

Describing the ruling by Justice Abdulmalik Joyce as the ‘Height of judicial rascality,’ the lawmakers said the judgment was ill-conceived given that the issues surrounding 27 lawmakers loyal to the Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike who decamped to the All Progressives Congress were still pending at the Appeal and Supreme Courts.

The lawmakers described the judgment as a legal coup against the likely outcome of pending appeals at the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court on the same subject matter.

They added that it was an attempt to unleash constitutional anarchy against a federating state and independent arm of government with a responsibility to the people.

Speaking at a press conference in Abuja, the group’s spokesman, Ikenga Ugochinyere, described the judgment as clear evidence that the Federal High Court has gone out of control and is willing to do the bidding of the pro-Wike group at the expense of the Rivers people.

Ugochinyere said, “How can a judge who knows very well that the decamped lawmakers have lost their seats, still go ahead to order for the allocation to be seized in favour of those who have lost their seats while the issues are pending at different courts on whether they should be parading as lawmakers.

“You want to use the Federal High Court to undermine democracy and constitutional governance. The issue of legality of their decampment is still in court and you are rushing to order that budget be presented to them as who?”

They added that the decision of Justice Abdulmalik Joyce and Chief Justice of the Federal High Court, John Tsoho to proceed with the case “despite a pending petition against the clear evidence of bias against them shows that there is more to the case than meets the ordinary eye”.

Ugochinyere, who represents Ideato North/Ideato South Federal Constituency in Imo State also said, “How can you be aware that all the subject matters are before the Appeal Court and Supreme Court and you still went ahead to attempt to do harm and damage to innocent tax paying people of Rivers who did nothing?

“The Supreme Court has ruled on the sanctity of the Local Government Areas and state allocation as a sovereign wealth of the people that can’t be seized as such funds are constitutional and can only be spent on the authority of that State or local government. If the head of the state or LGA is not spending it well or spending it without necessary compliance with laid down regulations, the constitution gives you the power to impeach such officer, if you have the numbers and legitimacy.

“So because the pro-Wike group know they have lost the legitimacy to be called lawmakers or perform legislative functions, they now rushed to court to use the court to attempt to carry out a financial coup against the Rivers people. After generating oil revenue from the backyard of Rivers people, other states will take their own share home and the people that produced the revenue will starve to death because the Federal High Court wants to please the pro-Wike group.

“Do you think this will bring peace to Niger Delta? The allocation is not a political fund or money meant for Gov Siminalayi Fubara but official revenue of the entire people that cover their economic, health, security and welfare needs.”

He added, “That said, the lawmakers called on Rivers people to come out in their numbers to protest against the judgment.

“The opposition lawmakers call on Rivers people, workers and citizens to mobilise for a day of protest against the ongoing agenda to use the Federal High Court Abuja and selected judges to create a constitutional crisis in Rivers State.”

Politics

Amaechi: I Will Resign As FCT Minister If… Wike

Published

10 hours ago

July 4, 2025

Editor

Federal Capital Territory FCT minister, Nyesom Wike has begged President Bola Tinubu to release the report of the forensic audit on the Niger Delta Development Commission NDDC, which he said indicted the former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi.

Wike vowed to resign if the report is released and its contents do not indict Amaechi.

Speaking on ‘Politics Today’ on Channels Television monitored on Friday in Abuja, Wike who was responding to allegations by Amaechi that he was corrupt, said Amaechi’s wife received N4 billion monthly from the NDDC to train Niger Delta women.

He said, unlike Amaechi, he does not come from a poor background, hence his sophisticated taste.

Wike said, “First of all, Amaechi’s wife was not an industrialist. She has never been, and that is why I call on Mr President to release the forensic audit of NDDC.

“Amaechi’s wife company, every month, got N4 billion to train Niger Delta women. That is N48 billion in one year alone, and the forensic audit report is there. Who killed it? It was Malami, then the Attorney General.

“That is one of the people who is now talking. Mr President should help Nigerians. You see, this is what I have always said. Mr President should help Nigerians. Please, release the forensic audit of the NDDC.

“I have said, let Mr President please do us a favour to release that document. Former Attorney General, Malami, killed that document to protect those who were concerned.

“I am not just saying what I am saying, let them release the document. If what I am saying is not in the document, I will resign at the Minister of the FCT. I said I will resign.

“I don’t worship office. What I am saying, let them release the forensic audit of the NDDC. I didn’t say the forensic audit was right, but I said, release the report of the forensic audit.

“That is how the wife became an industrialist – N4 billion every month to train Niger Delta women”, he stated.

Wike challenged the academic qualifications of Amaechi, describing them as less than average, and also faulted Amaechi’s claim that a Senator gave him (Amaechi) a Rolls-Royce but that he does not use it.

According to the FCT minister, the vehicle was given to Amaechi by a contractor who was executing about -0 percent of the projects in Rivers state. In contrast, the former Transport Minister was the governor.

Politics

Coalition: Abure-led LP Gives Obi 48 Hours To Leave Party

Published

2 days ago

July 3, 2025

Editor

The Abure-led faction of the Labour Party has given the presidential candidate of the party in the 2023 election, Peter Obi, a 48 hours ultimatum to leave the party haven formally joined the coalition party.

This was contained in a statement signed by the faction’s National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, in Abuja, on Thursday.

He explained that the Labour Party under Abure’s leadership remains vehemently opposed to joining the coalition while dismissing members of the coalition as “power mongers whose only interest was self and not the people.”

The party warned Nigerians that the often mouthed ‘new Nigeria is Possible’ is a ruse and cannot be achieved with the assemblage of old, recycled, desperate and frustrated politicians in the coalition.

Ifoh said the party is aware that all those who mismanaged Nigeria over the years are the ones that gathered themselves in the coalition while noting that desperate politicians can’t birth new Nigeria.

He said, “We are aware of several nocturnal meetings between Peter Obi and some of our members, lobbying them to join him in his new party. We’re also aware that a number of them has refused to defect with him.

“Labour Party has consistently said it is not part of the coalition and therefore, any of our members who is part of the coalition is given within 48 hours to formally resign his membership of the party.

“Labour Party is not available for people with dual agenda, people with deceptive persona. The party will not avail itself to individuals who have one leg in one Party and another leg elsewhere.

“People who in the morning they will claim to be in the Labour Party and in the evening they are in coalition.

“Nearly 70 per cent of the Nigerian population are youths who are tired of the old order, tired of gerontocrats deciding their fate. The new Nigeria that the youths are dreaming of, is not what can be realized from what we are seeing in the coalition.

“These people are opportunistic politicians who are only interested in relaunching themselves into circle of power, people who are desperate to continue holding on to power.

“The new Nigeria of our dream can only be realised through the Labour Party, and the party is willing to lead Nigerians along that trajectory.

“I therefore urge all members of the party to remain loyal and keep the party structure intact ahead of future elections.”

Politics

Only A Formidable Coalition Can Salvage Nigeria, Says Peter Obi

Published

2 days ago

July 3, 2025

Editor

The presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 elections, Peter Obi, has given his full support for the coalition of opposition parties aimed at ending President Bola Tinubu’s rule in 2027.

He explained that it was a fact that no single group can change Nigeria alone, hence the need for people to come together to pursue the goal.

The former Amambra State Governor said this in a post on his verified X handle, on Thursday.

He said this just as the Julia Abure-led faction of the Labour Party has given him 48 hours within which to formally resign from the party or risk expulsion.

Obi in his post wrote, “Yesterday, the coalition members formally adopted the African Democratic Congress (ADC) for the 2027 Nigeria General Elections with Distinguished Senator David Mark serving as the National Chairman and H.E. Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola serving as the National Secretary.

“Our commitment is to sacrifice and work together towards the 2027 General Elections, ensuring that Nigeria gets a competent, capable, and compassionate leadership that will prioritise the nation’s future by putting the welfare of Nigerians first.

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“This decision was not made lightly. It comes from deep reflection on where we are as a country and what must be done to move forward.

“No one group can change Nigeria alone. To dismantle the structures that keep our people in poverty and insecurity, we must build bridges, not walls even when those bridges are uneasy. A New Nigeria is Possible. -PO.”