By CHIDI MATTHEW NWACHUKWU

Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 election, has faulted the federal government?s release of Rivers State funds to the recently-appointed sole administrator of the state, Retired Vice Admiral Ibok Ette Ibas, describing it as ?a brazen disobedience and disregard for the rule of law and our democratic principles.?

Obi took to his X (formerly Twitter) handle this Monday morning, March 24, 2025, to condemn what he considered as a breach of the decision of the Supreme Court which stipulated that the Rivers State statutory allocations should not be released to the state government except a properly-constituted House of Assembly was in place to pass a valid Appropriation Act.

?What is happening in the country today as it relates to River State is an aberration unknown to our Constitution and must be condemned by every discerning mind.

?What we are witnessing in Rivers State is a brazen disobedience and disregard for the rule of law and our democratic principles. 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.

?The Supreme Court had explicitly barred the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Accountant-General of the Federation (AGF) from releasing these funds until a properly constituted House of Assembly passes a valid Appropriation Act. Yet, we see a situation where this order is being ignored. This raises serious moral intentions, and questions of what is happening in Rivers State,? stated Obi.

The former Anambra governor further stated that a dangerous precedent is being set by the federal government in choosing to flout judicial injunctions, and called on the institutions and organs of government saddled with the responsibility of upholding the dictates of the law to avoid doing the opposite of their mandate.

?By disregarding the judgment of the Supreme Court, those involved are setting a dangerous precedent. The CBN and AGF, institutions meant to uphold the law, should not be complicit in this disregard for our judiciary. We cannot build a nation where those who swore oaths to uphold our constitution and obey the laws are doing the opposite,? stressed Obi.

In conclusion, Obi noted that the current developments being witnessed in the country are not just about Rivers State, but about the very fabric of the country?s existence, and stressed the need to adhere to the rule of law for the overall good of the country.

?This is about more than just Rivers State; it is about protecting the very fabric of our democracy, and our existence as a nation.

?A country cannot function where the rule of law is trampled upon, where the separation of powers is disregarded, and where judicial decisions are treated as mere suggestions.

?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,? stated Obi.

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