Netizens have taken to social media to express outrage over a Federal High Court judgment stopping the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) from releasing further monthly financial allocations to Rivers State.
The ruling, issued by Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, cited alleged breaches of the Constitution by Governor Siminalayi Fubara in the presentation and management of the state’s 2024 budget.
The court’s decision has set the social media abuzz especially X platform, with many commenters pointing fingers at former Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike. Several social media users accused Wike of being the “devil behind the judgment,” alleging political motives linked to the ongoing feud between him and Fubara.
https://x.com/channelstv/status/1851563635828490574?t=L1HBHgssXLWjFtCCVq1tDw&s=19
Recalled that Wike and Fubara have been at loggerheads for some time, with Wike previously vowing to “put fire” on any governor who misbehaves.
Many commenters questioned the impact of halting the state’s monthly allocation on salaries and essential services. They raised concerns about how government workers and civil servants would be paid if the court-ordered freeze continues. Others argued that Rivers State’s internally generated revenue should be sufficient to cater to its needs and even suggested that the state stop remitting funds to the federal government if the situation persists.
Read some netizens’ reactions to the High court latest judgement against Rivers State below;
@igonormathias: Tinubu and his Minister is playing with fire
When rivers people react. We will be watching
@balatic: W!ke will destroy Nigeria judiciary & democracy if he’s not stopped. I’m sure we all know what will happen if this is implemented
@inno4chi: Rivers generates about N26B-N28B monthly according to Fubara.
Rivers can survive without FG’s allocation whilst they appeal the judgement and also file an action in Rivers State High Court barring the RIVG from remitting any sum to FG’s purse and preventing certain FG’s agencies from functioning in Rivers.As everybody dey MAD.
@justice: This is dangerous..
The compromised nigerian courts must take caution…They must be cautious…STOPING funds from flowing to the actual source of those funds, cannot be the way forward….The nigeria judiciary must be well guided…This decision clears a path to perdition…#Damn
@megamixer: The judgment is nothing surprising, and as far as Emperor Wike remains a Father Christmas to the judiciary both at the state and federal levels, every judgement with a seeming outlook to ground governance in Rivers State remains a suspect.
Unfortunately, the people of Rivers State are the biggest victims of this power play.
We will see where all these will end.
Some that were more powerful than Wike years back are long forgotten today.
Nobody will leave this world alive.
@eng_kok: This fight is going too far.
So, what happens to salaries?The judge subsequently restrained the Central Bank of Nigeria, the Accountant General of the Federation, Zenith Bank and Access Bank from further allowing Fubara to access money from the Consolidated Revenue and Federation Account.
@eroticgal1: Wike is taking this fight to a whole new level, nawao
While the underlying legal and political dynamics remain unclear, the widespread speculation hints at the growing distrust in the relationship between Wike and Fubara. Critics claim that Wike’s vow to intervene against any “misbehaving” governor might have manifested in this recent legal move.
