By John Ogunsemore
The 2023 presidential candidate of Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi, has faulted the release of Rivers State allocation to Sole Administrator, Ibok Ekwe Ibas.
Amid political tension in Rivers, the Supreme Court court froze statutory allocations to the state until the State House of Assembly properly appropriates the funds for usage.
However, Ibas confirmed release of the funds during a meeting with Local Government Administrators in Port Harcourt on Friday.
In a statement released on Monday, Obi said it was “unlawful” to release the funds which were frozen on the orders of the Supreme Court without fulfilling attached conditions.
“What is happening in the country today as it relates to River State is an aberration, unknown to our Constitution and must be condemned by every discerning mind.
“What we are witnessing in Rivers State is a brazen disobedience and disregard for the rule of law and our democratic principles.
“The decision to release statutory allocations to an appointed Sole Administrator, despite a standing order of the Supreme Court, is not just unlawful — it is a direct challenge to the authority of the highest court of our country.
“The Supreme Court had explicitly barred the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Accountant-General of the Federation (AGF) from releasing these funds until a properly constituted House of Assembly passes a valid Appropriation Act. Yet, we see a situation where this order is being ignored. This raises serious moral intentions, and questions of what is happening in Rivers State,” the former Anambra governor said.
Obi said those involved were setting a dangerous precedent by disregarding the judgment of the Supreme Court.
He maintained that the CBN and AGF, institutions meant to uphold the law, should not be complicit in this disregard for the nation’s judiciary.
“We cannot build a nation where those who swore oaths to uphold our constitution and obey the laws are doing the opposite.
“This is about more than just Rivers State; it is about protecting the very fabric of our democracy, and our existence as a nation.
“A country cannot function where the rule of law is trampled upon, where the separation of powers is disregarded, and where judicial decisions are treated as mere suggestions. If we continue this way, we are undermining the future of our democracy.
“We must choose to do the right thing — to respect the law and uphold the principles that bind us as a nation,” Obi said.