Former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has cautioned the judiciary against actions that could lead to unrest in Rivers State.
Atiku’s warning came on the heels of a Federal High Court Abuja judgement, which ordered the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the Accountant General of the Federation and some banks to stop releasing statutory allocations to Rivers State.
The former vice president, in a statement signed by his Media Adviser, Paul Ibe, queried the rationale behind Justice Joyce Abdulmalik’s issuance of the order, especially since Rivers State had appealed the previous week’s Court of Appeal ruling regarding the legality of its 2024 budget.
Atiku noted that the Appeal Court decision had deemed the Rivers State budget illegal due to its passage by an incomplete assembly, instructing Governor Siminalayi Fubara to reintroduce the budget for approval.
He noted that the Rivers State Government had since filed a notice of appeal for the Supreme Court to review the case.
The former vice president expressed concerns about the influence of certain groups associated with the Federal Government, suggesting they were manipulating judicial decisions from behind the scenes.
He criticised elements within the Bola Tinubu administration for allegedly seeking a judgment that undermined the Supreme Court’s authority.
He also highlighted concerns raised by legal expert Femi Falana (SAN), who had warned Chief Justice of the Federal High Court, Justice John Tsoho, about potential judicial manipulation, following instances of gifts being presented to judges in Abuja.
Atiku lamented that despite the warning by Falana had gone unheeded.