A former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Timi Frank, has raised the alarm claiming that Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, is scheming to secure a court injunction to block release of funds from the Federation Account to the 22 local government areas in Rivers State.
The rights activist, through a statement issued in Abuja on Monday, alleged that Wike and his co-travelers opposed to the Governor Siminalayi Fubara, resorted to the plot following their failure to stop last Saturday’s local government elections in the State.
He warned thus: “Wike, through his proxies, will soon approach a Federal High Court in Abuja with spurious writ with prayers that monthly funds allocation to the 23 LGAs in Rivers State should henceforth be withheld with claims that the elections were held in violation of a court ruling.”
However, the Bayelsa-born political activist called on Wike to back down in the interest of the people of Rivers State, and find alternative means to settle his rift with Governor Fubara.
He also called on President Bola Tinubu not to allow Wike to dent his democratic credentials with such a retrogressive court action bearing in mind that local councils in Lagos State suffered similar fate during his administration as governor through the orchestration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
Frank, who is the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) Ambassador to East Africa and Middle East, also warned the Judiciary especially Judges and Justices always out to do Wike’s bidding for personal gains not to grant any frivolous prayer brought before them on this matter.
Besides, he condemned the partisan role the police have allegedly played so far in the political crises rocking the State, calling on them to protect all Rivers’ people instead of taking sides with the ruling APC.
“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu cannot afford to fold his arms and watch as Wike plots to reverse democracy in Rivers State and by extension Nigeria.
“The anti-democratic tendency of former President Olusegun Obasanjo who seized funds meant for local councils in Lagos during Tinubu’s administration as Governor must not be allowed to repeat itself in Rivers State.
“As we speak, Wike is putting finishing touches to plans to secure a kangaroo court order to stop monthly funds allocation to local government councils in Rivers State. This must not be allowed to happen,” he warned.
He further warned that such a move could lead to economic disruption in Rivers State in particular and the country in general as well as reversal of democratic gains the country has made since 1999.
He said: “Any action capable of truncating democracy in the country similar to ongoing scenarios in some West African States must be avoided.
“The people of Rivers State have elected their council chairman and councilors in line with the recent ruling of the Supreme Court to democratize all LGAs in Nigeria and any attempt to truncate democracy in Rivers would be resisted by the people.”
While advising Fubara not to be distracted by the evil machinations of his traducers and political opponents, Frank congratulated the people of Rivers State on successfully electing their council representatives and urged them to redouble their support for the governor.