NLC threatens shutdown as Wabara, PDP coalition warn of escalating crisis – Politics – The Guardian Nigeria News – Nigeria and World News

• Invitation to anarchy “Court’s decision to stop distribution of Rivers”
• HURIWA is demanding a visa ban for judges due to allegedly politically motivated decisions

The Nigeria Labor Congress (NLC) has vowed to withdraw its members from all duties if the Federal High Court order barring the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) from disbursing funds to Rivers State affects the welfare of its members. The Rivers State NLC Council took this position during an emergency meeting in Port Harcourt yesterday.

The chairman of the NLC in the state, Alex Agwanwo, who addressed newsmen after the meeting, said the council condemned the decision of the court to stop the allocation of funds to the state, describing it as anti-development.

The union leader observed that the sentence lacked a human face and compassion, adding that it would affect workers greatly. “Everyone knows what the withdrawal of appropriations from the state will look like. This will cause suffering to the state. This will disrupt governance in the state, because governance will not take place without funds.”

The Chairman of Obio-Akpor Local Government Area, Chijioke Ihunwo, however, expressed confidence that the Court of Appeal will overturn the decision of the Federal High Court to stop the state’s allocation. He promised that the people would resist any attempt by anyone to disrupt governance in the state through the judiciary.

Also, Ihunwo, while speaking to mark the anniversary of the death of those who lost their lives in the 2023 crisis that led to a rift between Governor Siminalai Fubara and the Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyes Wike, laid the blame at the minister’s doorsteps and further court shopping solutions to destabilize the state.

He said: “The order restricting the allocation of funds to Rivers shows a high level of desperation on the part of the minister to control public funds, but we will resist it. Every day he uses the court system to distract the people of the state because he wants to control the resources of Rivers.”

Ihunwo questioned the hope of ordinary Nigerians if the government and relevant agencies allow politicians to hijack the judiciary. He, however, urged President Bola Tinubu not to allow Wike to destroy the judiciary and democracy in the country.

Former Senate President and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Adolph Wabara, expressed the same opinion. Wabara, who described the court’s decision as absurd and an invitation to anarchy, said the “judiciary has failed Nigeria”.

He warned that “an ill-advised judgment could result in a reduction in Nigeria’s oil revenue” as the state’s youths may be tempted to return to the creeks in response.

He further argued that if the judiciary had handled Rivers’ crisis “professionally from the beginning, instead of issuing contradictory deliberate orders and rulings, Rivers would not have found himself in this judicial mess. If not for these deliberate orders and decisions, INEC would have held elections to replace the 27 legislators who constitutionally lost their seats.”

The former Senate President, who recalled that he had earlier warned that the simmering political crisis in Rivers could engulf Nigeria if left unchecked, urged President Tinubu to act quickly.

Also, the PDP Coalition, an NGO affiliated to the party, called on the judiciary to maintain impartiality in the ongoing political crisis in Rivers. Dr. Emeka Kalu, the National Coordinator of the PDP coalition, in a statement, warned that the court’s decision could plunge the state into further hardship. He said the situation needs to be handled carefully so Rivers doesn’t end up in more confusion.

Kalu stressed that the judiciary is the last hope of the common man and cannot afford to risk its integrity, urging it to protect its independence by avoiding political influence that could harm democratic processes and legal ethics.

“There is a procedure in the law, and as soon as it is violated, the punishment comes into force. As stated in Section 109 (1) of the 1999 Constitution, it is clear that the 27 Rivers State legislators who defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) have lost their seats and the government should not be suspended simply because of the vacancy.

“Nigeria is currently experiencing economic hardship and unless urgent measures are taken to address the situation, crime rates will continue to rise as frustrated citizens resort to any means to make ends meet.”

Kalu stressed that Governor Fubara did not commit any wrongdoing in choosing to serve the people of Rivers as their governor and that the Judiciary must help preserve democracy through its commitment to integrity and social justice.

MEANWHILE, the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), in its condemnation of the recent decisions of the Federal High Court on River, called for visa restrictions on judges who are believed to be involved in rulings deemed politically motivated and capable of destabilizing the state.

The group described recent decisions to end federal allocations to the state as alarming, calling on international embassies, including those of the United States, the United Kingdom and the European Union, to impose travel restrictions on judges such as Chief Justice John Tsoho, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, Justice Peter Lifu, Justice Omotosho, Justice Okorovo and Justice Emeka Nwhite.

HURIWA’s appeal follows Justice Abdulmalik’s controversial decision to freeze Rivers State’s financial allocation, which HURIWA equates to a “constitutional coup” that is undermining Nigeria’s democracy.

“This recent decision, according to HURIWA, effectively ignores the longstanding principle of the Supreme Court, which affirms that the federal government cannot suspend the allocation of funds to the states. The decision violates established legal precedent, exposing Rivers and Governor Fubara’s administration to the risk of political destabilization.

The suit, initiated by a faction in the Rivers State House of Assembly loyal to former Governor Wike, is seeking powers to stop the distribution of funds in the state. HURIWA sees this as a strategic attempt to undermine the administration of Governor Fubara through judicial means.”

According to HURIWA, such “partisan” decisions clearly contradict the principles of judicial impartiality, as the judiciary must uphold constitutional protections and not favor specific political agendas.