The Pan-Niger Delta Forum, PANDEF, has called for the immediate reversal of the recent Supreme Court judgement regarding Rivers State.
The National Chairman of PANDEF, Amb. Godknows Igali, in an interview on Channels Television, noted particularly that it would be difficult for the State to function well without its allocations from the Federal government.
DAILY POST reported that one of the key-points of the Supreme Court’s ruling on the crisis rocking Rivers State was an order for the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, to withhold monthly allocations meant for Rivers State.
The court faulted Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s decisions to work with a small fraction of the members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, ordering the Martin Amaewhule-led 27 legislators to resume their duties at the Assembly.
Governor Fubara has since announced his intention to obey the court ruling.
When asked to share his initial reaction to the governor’s response to this particular issue, Igali said, “Many people were surprised at the judgment, but then the Supreme Court has exercised its constitutional responsibilities.
“As a neutral arbiter, we will call all parties to observe the laws so that there can be an amicable settlement of these issues.
“There’s a lot of dependence on federal allocations to run the whole process of governance, particularly social services, and we know that it’s not the first time it has happened in terms of judicial pronouncements in Nigeria, but we know that the Supreme Court has always been very careful.
“It is in extreme cases that issues of withholding of allocations have been ruled upon. That is because it has a lot of implications as it affects the livelihood of ordinary citizens.
“It could create a situation where the particular sub-national is not able to perform its duties and could create social upheaval, as hospitals need all forms of medication, even newborn babies need to be taken care of.
“All the vulnerable need to be cared for, our schools, public sanitation and services. So anything that with-hold financial resources that goes to the states is a very serious matter, and we felt worried.
“There were a lot of calls and a lot of requests on that, hence our appeal to the Supreme Court that when the opportunity creates itself, to look at this matter again.
“If we look at the history of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, there have been cases where the court has had to look back, and regurgitate on some of its decisions, particularly where the overall social impact is pervasive and it is punitive.”