Taiwo Popoola
A former Niger Delta militant leader, Asari Dokubo, has slammed Supreme Court over its recent pronouncement on issues concerning Rivers State statutory allocation
Urban Express News Online reported that the Supreme Court ordered the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, to stop release of funds to Rivers State government forthwith until a proper House of Assembly is constituted.
The court also ordered Martin Amaewhule to resume sitting immediately with all elected members.
The apex court in its Certified True Copy, CTC, on the political crisis in Rivers State shed light on why it restored the Rt Hon Martin Amaewhule-led leadership of the State House of Assembly.
The apex court in a 62- page judgement, made it clear that there was no iota or shred of evidence to support the claim of defection made against the 27 members of the House of Assembly from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to the All Progressives Congress, APC.
The Supreme Court also said the Rivers State governor, Siminalayi Fubara, who raised the allegations of defection against the 27 lawmakers of his own volition withdrew the allegations at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
Asari is among a host of Nigerians who has condemned the ruling, insisting that it is not within the jurisdiction of the apex court to take up cases on Local Government elections.
Asari also argued that the matter was never before the apex court, wondering how it derived the powers to rule on cases that were not even before it.
“What is happening in Rivers State is one individual wanting to pocket Rivers State. A lot of commentators had analysed the situation in Rivers State and had called on President Bola Tinubu to step in and arrest the situation.
“I did a live broadcast on the 12th of December 2023 after the failed first Tinubu’s meeting which was very very bias, tinted towards supporting Nyesom Wike.
“That video has become viral since after the pronouncement of the Supreme Court. I’m not going to call the pronouncement of the Supreme Court a judgment, because there is nothing that the Supreme Court pronouncement said that has anything to do with the law in Nigeria.
“It’s a total abuse of the law of Nigeria. First of all, we all know that the Supreme Court is supposed to be the final arbiter for Nigerians since its words are final. Now the Supreme Court assumes that because their words are final they will import into these powers they do not have, proudly declare decisions that are against the Constitution and the people of Nigeria.
“This is not just about Rivers state. For instance, does the Supreme Court have jurisdiction to adjudicate on issues concerning Local Government elections? It’s very clear, that LG election matters end at the High Court.
“So, where did the Supreme derive its power in making pronunciation on post elections litigations arising from the elections in Rivers state? How will the Supreme Court adjudicate judgment on a matter that was never before it?
“The issue of defection (of lawmaker) was never before the Supreme Court. The issue of defection is still at the High Court. So, how did the Supreme Court get these matters before them to make a pronouncement on it other than that there are people behind the scenes detecting to the Supreme Court what it should say? And I think the governor was too much in a haste to have accepted that ruling.”
