Skip to main content

Peter Obi condemns release of Rivers allocation to sole administrator

Former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi has strongly criticised President Bola Tinubu's administration for releasing Rivers State’s withheld allocation to an appointed Sole Administrator despite a Supreme Court ruling barring such action.

The Supreme Court ordered the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Accountant General of the Federation (AGF) to withhold Rivers' allocation on February 28 until the state complied with court directives.

However, in a controversial move last week, President Tinubu declared a State of Emergency in Rivers, suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara and key state officials and appointed Ibok-Ete Ibas as the Sole Administrator.

On Friday, March 21, Ibas confirmed in Port Harcourt that the withheld funds had been released.

READ ALSO: Tinubu’s state of emergency in Rivers sparks constitutional debate: Legal experts weigh in

Peter Obi lambasts Tinubu's govt

Obi, in a statement on Monday, called the decision unlawful and a blatant disregard for judicial authority.

“The decision to release statutory allocations to an appointed Sole Administrator, despite a standing order of the Supreme Court, is not just unlawful — it is a direct challenge to the authority of the highest court of our country,” Obi said.

He further accused the government of setting a “dangerous precedent” by ignoring a binding court ruling.

“The Supreme Court had explicitly barred the CBN and AGF from releasing these funds until a properly constituted House of Assembly passed a valid Appropriation Act. Yet, we see a situation where this order is being ignored. This raises serious moral concerns and questions about what is happening in Rivers State,” he stated.

READ ALSO: Rivers: History of state of emergency declarations in Nigeria since 1999

Obi warned that the continued disregard for the rule of law could erode the country’s democracy, emphasising the need for leaders to uphold judicial decisions.

“If we continue this way, we are undermining the future of our democracy. We must choose to do the right thing — to respect the law and uphold the principles that bind us as a nation,” he concluded.

The situation in Rivers State remains tense as legal experts and political observers debate the implications of the federal government's actions.

ridoola.blogspot.com.ng
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Okpebholo suspends A-G & LG Chair under 3 months over finance dealings

The Edo Government has announced the suspension of Samson Osagie , its Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, and Damian Lawani , chairman of the Local Government Service Commission. Mr Musa Ikhilor , Secretary to the State Government (SSG) announced the suspension in a statement in Benin on Thursday morning. ALSO READ: Kano Govt suspend 2 school principals for alleged absenteeism, negligence Ikhilor said the two-state top officials were suspended over allegations of “grave official and financial interactions”. Okpebholo suspends Edo Attorney-General and LG Service Commission Chairman According to him, the suspension, which takes immediate effect, is pending the conclusion of an investigation into the allegations. The SSG said; It is hereby announced for the information of the general public that Gov. Monday Okpebholo has approved the suspension from office of the Chairman of Edo Local Government Service Commission, Damian Lawani and Commissioner for Justice, Samson Os...
Post a Comment
Read more

Family Homes Funds, TETFund & Private Investors Lead National PPP Drive for Renewed Hope Student Housing Projects

The Renewed Hope Student Housing Project is a Public Private Partnership initiative of His Excellency Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR that is set to improve the living standards and revitalize infrastructure across Tertiary Institutions in the country with a plan to deliver 38,400 world class student hostel bed spaces across a total of 24 locations: 12 Universities, 6 Polytechnics & 6 Colleges of Education. The Renewed Hope Student Hostel Project in each of the 24 locations will boast 1,600 bed spaces, 400 ensuite rooms with study table and chairs, 4 reading rooms, common room, cafeteria & restaurants, laundromat, grocery shops, salons, public toilets etc.  Family Homes Funds Limited (FHFL), in partnership with the Federal Government of Nigeria, the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) and Africa Plus Partners Nigeria Limited is set to deliver on Mr. President’s promise to transform student accommodation nationwide through the Public Private Partnership (PPP) Renewed Hope Stude...
Post a Comment
Read more

NYSC Mobilisation & Academic Standards – Raising quality or adding pressure on students?

On September 29, 2025, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu approved a reform linking the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) mobilisation process to the National Policy for the Nigeria Education Repository and Databank (NERD). By invoking Sections 2(4)(4) and 16(1)(C) of the NYSC Act, Tinubu stated that no graduate, whether from a Nigerian or foreign institution, will be mobilised for or exempted from NYSC without proof of compliance with the NERD policy. In a common man's understanding, the Federal Government has announced that Nigerian students must now submit their final-year projects or thesis before they can be mobilised for the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC). This policy aims to improve academic standards, ensuring that no student skips essential academic requirements before entering the NYSC scheme . On the surface, this sounds like a laudable idea, but a deeper look reveals a different reality. In many universities, students are allowed to graduate and mobilised for NYSC  ...
Post a Comment
Read more