Obi Condemns Disregard for Supreme Court Ruling on Rivers Fund Allocation

Peter Obi, the former presidential candidate of the Labour Party, has criticized the current political situation in Rivers State, calling it an “aberration” and a breach of Nigeria’s constitutional principles. In a statement released on Monday via X, Obi condemned the alleged defiance of a Supreme Court ruling concerning the allocation of statutory funds to an appointed Sole Administrator, rather than a duly elected legislative body.

He described the ongoing situation in Rivers State as a blatant disregard for the rule of law and democratic values. “The decision to allocate funds to a Sole Administrator, despite the Supreme Court’s standing order, is not only unlawful but also a direct challenge to the authority of the highest court in the land,” Obi remarked.

He further expressed concern over the decision to release state funds despite the Supreme Court’s clear directive, which prohibited the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Accountant-General of the Federation (AGF) from disbursing these allocations until a legally constituted House of Assembly passes an Appropriation Act.

“The Supreme Court explicitly ordered that the CBN and AGF withhold the funds until a legitimate House of Assembly enacts a valid Appropriation Act. Yet, this directive is being blatantly ignored. This raises serious ethical questions about the developments in Rivers State,” Obi added.