Taiwo Popoola
Lere Olayinka, the Special Adviser on Public Communication to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, has mocked Governor Sim Fubara of Rivers State.
Olayinka said Fubara is already seeing spirits following the Supreme Court ruling.
He recounted that Ayodele Fayose, former governor of Ekiti State, had warned Fubara against fighting Wike.
During Fubara’s inauguration after he was elected in 2023, Fayose had warned him not to see beyond what he is expected to see.
Olayinka recalled Fayose’s warning following the Supreme Court judgment which blocked federal allocations to Rivers State until some measures are taken.
Posting on his Facebook page, Olayinka wrote: “He is seeing spirits already. Fayose warned him.”
Recall that the Supreme Court had ordered the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, and the Accountant General of the Federation to stop payment of allocations to Rivers State government.
It said the ruling would be in force until Fubara stops all his illegal, unlawful and unconstitutional activities.
The apex court directed that funds would be released to Fubara’s government when a lawful Appropriation Law is enacted by the House of Assembly led by Martin Amaewhule.
In the judgment on Friday delivered by Justice Emmanuel Akomaye Agim, the Supreme Court ordered the 27 members of the Rivers House of Assembly to resume function immediately.
The Supreme Court also sacked the 23 LGA chairmen, citing violation of Section 150 of the Electoral Act.
It declared the October 5, 2024 elections that ushered in the new chairmen as void.
The face-off between Wike and Fubara led to 27 lawmakers defecting from the Peoples Democratic Party to the All-Progressives Congress, APC.
Their defection led to the declaration of their seats vacant and Amaewhule was subsequently removed as Speaker by Fubara’s loyalists.
Meanwhile, Fubara has directed the Heads of Local Government Administration, HLGAs, to immediately assume control of the 23 local government councils, pending the organization of fresh elections by the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission, RSIEC.
Fubara also instructed the outgoing local government chairmen to formally hand over their responsibilities to the HLGAs by Monday, March 3, 2025.
He spoke during a statewide broadcast from the Government House in Port Harcourt on Sunday.
Responding to the Supreme Court’s ruling, he explained that his action was necessary due to the abolition of caretaker arrangements in Nigeria’s local government system.
