The Supreme Court has put an end to the ongoing crisis in the Rivers State House of Assembly, with the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, hailing the ruling as a victory for the rule of law.
On Friday, the Supreme Court ruled against the Rivers State Government, ordering a halt to the release of funds by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the Accountant General of the Federation, and other agencies until the state purges itself of its “flagrant disobedience” to previous court orders.
The five-man panel unanimously dismissed a cross-appeal filed by Governor Siminalayi Fubara, which sought to validate the leadership of the Assembly under Martin Amaewhule as Speaker. The Court also nullified the recent local government elections in the state, deeming them invalid for violating the Electoral Act.
Wike expressed satisfaction with the decision, emphasizing the importance of upholding the judiciary’s authority. “If you allow this, one day one member will constitute an assembly, and there is nothing you can do. We must commend the judiciary for being bold to say this impunity must not be allowed,” he remarked.
The former Rivers State governor also called on the Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum, Governor Bala Mohammed, to acknowledge the significance of the ruling. “Supreme Court has come out to say enough is enough. We must not truncate our democracy,” Wike added.
With the Supreme Court’s final verdict, Wike declared the issue, which has been dragging for over 15 months, now closed. “People are saying Wike Wike, It’s not about me…We cannot allow anyone to truncate the democracy of the country,” he concluded.