Rivers
Timi Frank Accuses Wike of Plotting to Block Rivers LG Allocations After Elections
Former APC Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Timi Frank, has accused FCT Minister Nyesom Wike of planning to block the monthly allocations to 22 Local Government Councils in Rivers State.
Frank claims Wike is preparing to secure a court injunction to halt the funds following his failure to stop the successful local government elections held on October 5, 2024.
Frank urged Wike to abandon the alleged plot, warning that such a move could disrupt the economy of Rivers State and undermine democratic progress.
He also called on President Tinubu to intervene, drawing parallels to a similar situation that occurred in Lagos State under ex-President Obasanjo.
The allegations are coming in the wake of the local government elections that successfully took place on Saturday, October 5, 2024.
Frank, in a statement issued on Sunday in Abuja, claimed that Wike, along with his associates who are opposed to the administration of Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara, intends to obtain a court injunction to halt funds from the Federation Account to the local councils.
According to Frank, Wike’s proxies are expected to approach a Federal High Court in Abuja in the coming days with a legal request that the allocations be withheld, alleging that the elections violated a prior court ruling.
The Bayelsa-born political activist urged Wike to abandon the plan, citing the potential harm it could cause to the people of Rivers State. Frank also called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to intervene and prevent Wike from engaging in actions that could tarnish the President’s democratic legacy, drawing parallels to a similar situation in Lagos State when funds were withheld from local governments during Tinubu’s tenure as governor under the administration of ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo.
Frank, who also serves as the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) Ambassador to East Africa and the Middle East, cautioned the judiciary against granting any frivolous court orders based on Wike’s influence.
He further condemned what he described as the partisan role of the police in the ongoing political crisis in Rivers State, urging them to protect all citizens rather than align with the ruling APC.
He warned that such a move could lead to economic disruption not only in Rivers State but across Nigeria and potentially reverse the democratic progress the nation has achieved since 1999.
“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu must not allow this anti-democratic tendency, reminiscent of the Obasanjo administration’s treatment of Lagos State, to happen again in Rivers,” Frank said. “Any attempt to halt allocations to local government councils must be stopped in its tracks.”
Frank also stressed that any action that could undermine democracy, as seen in some West African states, should be avoided at all costs.
He highlighted the recent Supreme Court ruling that mandates the democratization of all local governments in Nigeria, emphasizing that the people of Rivers State have exercised their democratic rights in electing their local representatives.
Concluding his statement, Frank urged Governor Fubara to remain focused in the face of political opposition and congratulated the people of Rivers State for successfully completing the local government elections. He encouraged continued support for the Governor and his administration.
Rivers
Timi Frank Urges Rivers People to Back Governor Fubara Amid LG Elections
***Warns IGP Egbetokun Against Inciting Chaos
Former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Timi Frank, has called on the people of Rivers State to rally behind Governor Siminilaye Fubara to ensure a peaceful and transparent local government election. In a statement released in Abuja on Friday, Frank also issued a stern warning to the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, urging him not to allow the police force to become a tool for causing unrest in Rivers.
Frank accused the police of partisanship and urged the international community to hold IGP Egbetokun responsible for any violence or damage that might arise during the election process.
He expressed concern over what he described as “illegal instructions” being given to the police, allegedly orchestrated by former Rivers State Governor and current FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike.
Frank claimed that Wike, who is reportedly using his influence in collaboration with federal authorities, is attempting to derail the election to impose his political allies. He warned that Wike’s alleged plot to disrupt the democratic process is backed by claims that he has the President’s full support to act with impunity in Rivers State.
“The President’s silence on this matter suggests complicity,” Frank said, adding that any breakdown in law and order during the election would be traced back to the actions of the federal government and its agents in the state.
Frank also urged Governor Fubara to assert his authority and ensure that Rivers State does not fall into chaos, as the people of the state have fully backed him. He stressed the importance of maintaining a free and fair election, free from intimidation or interference by external forces.
He further criticized the police for prioritizing Wike’s political interests over the security and wellbeing of Rivers citizens. Frank warned that any conflict in the state could have far-reaching effects on the national economy, given the state’s key role in Nigeria’s oil production.
As a ULMWP Ambassador to East Africa and the Middle East, Timi Frank also called on global leaders and organizations to monitor the situation closely to prevent Rivers State from descending into chaos.
Rivers
Court bars PDP from dissolving Pro-Wike Executive Committees in Rivers State
The Federal High Court in Abuja has issued an order preventing the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Governors, National Working Committee (NWC), and Board of Trustees (BoT) from dissolving the party’s executive committees in Rivers State, which are aligned with Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike.
Justice Peter Lifu, in a ruling on an ex-parte application, restrained the PDP from tampering with or replacing the state, local government, and ward leadership of the party in Rivers. This decision follows a case brought by Aaron Chukwuemeka, Oye Fubara Igenewari, and ThankGod Bekee, representing the state, local government, and ward executive committees.
The court also prohibited the party from forming interim committees to take over the functions of the existing leadership, who were elected in congresses held earlier this year. The judge further instructed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) not to recognize any other leadership apart from the duly elected officials.
The plaintiffs argued that the PDP governors and other officials were making clandestine efforts to dissolve their committees and replace them with interim bodies. Justice Lifu has scheduled the hearing for October 4, 2024, and ordered the plaintiffs to provide indemnity in case the restraining orders are later found to be unjustified.
Rivers
27 Pro-Wike Lawmakers win big, as Abuja Court dismisses case against them
The Federal High Court in Abuja has thrown out a suit seeking to replace 27 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly who are aligned with Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The Action People’s Party (APP) had filed the suit, accusing the lawmakers of defecting from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Delivering the judgment, Justice Peter Lifu dismissed the case on several grounds. First, he ruled that the suit was statute-barred, noting that it was filed eight months after the alleged defection took place in December of the previous year, far beyond the 14-day window allowed by law.
Furthermore, Justice Lifu declared that the suit was a clear abuse of court process, highlighting that similar cases involving the same lawmakers had already been resolved by the Federal High Court. He referenced a prior judgment by Justice James Omotosho, delivered in July, which barred the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from declaring the seats of the lawmakers vacant or conducting fresh elections to replace them.
Justice Lifu emphasized that since the previous ruling had neither been appealed nor overturned, it remains binding. He noted that revisiting the case would be akin to “judicial rascality,” as it would involve acting as an appellate court over a decision from the same court.
On these grounds, the court dismissed the suit, marking a legal victory for the 27 lawmakers and reaffirming the previous court’s decision.
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