By Tony Obiechina, Abuja
The One Rivers Initiative (ORI), a Pan Rivers Group, has cautioned the Federal Government against withholding allocation to Rivers saying doing so would aggravate poverty in the state.
The Coordinator of the Group, Chief Victor Gurubo, gave the warning at a press conference in Abuja, in reaction to recent development in the state including court rulings.
Prompt News recalls that a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, last week barred the Federal Government from releasing further monthly allocations to Rivers State.
The judgement followed a suit: FHC/ABJ/CS/984/24, which was brought before the court by the Hon. Martins Amaewhule-led faction of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
Martins Amaewhule-led faction is believed to be loyal to Minister of FCT, Mr Nyesom Wike, while the four-member Assembly is recognised by Gov. Siminalayi Fubara.
In her ruling Justice Joyce Abdulmalik held that Fubara’s presentation of the 2024 budget to a four-member House of Assembly breached constitutional protocol.
But Gurubo said cessation of allocations would further increase the suffering of the people as well as accelerate decay of already deteriorating infrastructure.
“The ORI is also deeply troubled by developments within the Nigerian judiciary, which is often regarded as the last hope of the common man.
“The disputes between the minister Wike and Gov. Fubara are civil matters, yet they are receiving unprecedented expedited hearings.
“We struggle to understand what makes these matters so exceptional that the entire judicial apparatus must seemingly be put on hold to address them,” he said.
He recalled President Bola Tinubu, then the Governor of Lagos State, once had a similar ruling by the Supreme Court in his favour.
He urged government at all levels to take steps to alleviate hardship in the country through favourable tax reforms and provision of adequate infrastructure.
He said the Federal Government should ensure that every segment of Nigeria was represented in the leadership of critical sectors.
He further advised the Federal Government against holistically implementing the recommendation of Britton Woods institutions at the expense of the citizens’ welfare.
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