Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has issued a strong caution to the judiciary, warning against actions that could lead to turmoil in Rivers State.
His statement follows a Federal High Court judgment on Wednesday ordering the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to cease all payments to the state, a ruling that has sparked widespread concern.
In a statement released through his Media Adviser, Paul Ibe, Atiku criticized what he described as “elements loyal to the Federal Government pulling the strings from behind.”
He questioned why Justice Joyce Abdulmalik would issue such an order when Rivers State had already challenged the Court of Appeal’s ruling on the legality of the state’s 2024 budget.
Atiku highlighted that “last week, the Court of Appeal declared that the Rivers State budget was illegal because it was passed by an inchoate assembly,” ordering Governor Siminalayi Fubara to present a new budget.
He argued that, with the Rivers State Government already appealing to the Supreme Court, recent judicial actions appear designed to undermine the apex court’s authority.
The statement further expressed concern over alleged compromises within the judiciary, citing warnings by legal expert Femi Falana (SAN) regarding potential biases following reports of “house gifts” to judges.
Atiku also urged the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, to discipline any judges found complicit in such actions, as part of restoring public trust in the judiciary.
Atiku remarked that the country risks descending “into chaos with conflicting orders from courts of coordinate jurisdiction flying all over,” jeopardizing both public confidence and foreign investment in Nigeria.
He called on the judiciary to act swiftly to safeguard its image and maintain its role as “the last hope of the common man.”
