Former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi has voiced his disapproval of the current political events in Rivers State, arguing they deviate from and violate Nigeria’s constitutional norms.
Peter Obi has taken to X, Monday, to express his displeasure over the alleged disobedience of a supreme court ruling that stated that statutory allocations should be released to a duly constituted legislative body, and not a sole administrator.
“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,” Obi said.
He criticized the decision to release funds, arguing it defied a standing Supreme Court order that restricted the CBN and Accountant-General until a legitimate House of Assembly approved an Appropriation Act.
“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 questions about what is happening in Rivers State,” Obi stated.
He cautioned against the dangerous precedent of ignoring the judiciary, and implored the CBN and AGF to uphold the law and resist involvement in actions that flout court rulings.
“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,” he cautioned.
Obi stressed the national implications, calling on leaders to uphold constitutional principles to safeguard Nigeria’s democratic future.
He added “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.”