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Rivers Proxy Battle Between Nyesom Wike, Simi Fubara Before Supreme Court: Chidi Odinkalu
Rivers Proxy Battle Between Nyesom Wike, Simi Fubara Before Supreme Court: Chidi Odinkalu
Rivers proxy battle between Nyesom Wike and Simi Fubara before dupreme court. One important difference, though, is that the issues in Rivers State today hardly involve principle or the public interest.
Depending on one’s perspective, February 10, 2025, promises to be Proxy Wars Day at the Supreme Court of Nigeria in Abuja.
On that day, a panel of five Justices will hear arguments on seven appeals connected with the synthetic political crisis in Rivers State.
The issues that the court will be asked to decide include the validity of last October’s local government elections in the state, the fate of the faction in the Rivers State House of Assembly that claims to have switched affiliations from the Peoples’ Democratic Party (after being elected on the platform) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), the legality of the state’s 2025 budget passed by the rump of the state House of Assembly, and the effort to importune judges into denying Rivers State access to its share of the federation account.
The effort to frame these as legal issues is transparently valiant.
Despite the shameful conversion of judges into politicians in the Rivers State crisis—or indeed because of precisely that fact—the imminence of Rivers State Proxy Wars Day at the Supreme Court is evidence of what has gone wrong with Nigeria’s judicial system and why fixing it is essential for the health of Nigeria’s attempt at government with electoral legitimacy.
This is not the first time that legal disputes about power and how to share the spoils from it have ended up at the highest court in the land.
That tendency in Nigeria is over a century old. It arguably goes back to the 1921 judgment of the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council in the case of Amodu Tijani over the effort by the colonial authorities to split Herbert Heelas Macaulay from his support for Eshugbayi Eleko, the Oba of Lagos.
To hear those cases before the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council in 1920, Herbert Macaulay travelled to London with the Oba’s Staff of Office in support of Amodu Tijani and the Idejo Chiefs of Lagos.
From London, he issued a statement claiming that the Eleko was the King of over 17 million Nigerians and in possession of territory more than three times that of Great Britain.
Despite a healthy revenue of over £4 million, he claimed, the British had reneged on a treaty commitment to compensate the Eleko.
Embarrassed at being publicly called duplicitous in this way, the British required the Eleko to disown Herbert Macaulay.
He issued a public statement clarifying his position on Herbert Macaulay’s statement but declined to disown him through the Oba’s Bell Ringers, as the Brits required.
Unable to secure the popular Eleko’s support, the colonists decided to head off rising tension by deposing him.
On 6 August 1925, they issued an ordinance de-stooling him, and two days later, on 8 August, they arrested and removed Eleko for internal banishment in Oyo. In his place, they installed Oba Ibikunle Akitoye.
Oba Akitoye’s rule lasted an uncomfortably brief three years, largely because he lacked the support of the people of Lagos. Indeed, in 1926, he suffered a physical assault by his people.
Supported by the elite and people of Lagos, the deposed Eleko took his case to the courts, fighting again to the Privy Council, which decided on 19 June 1928 in favour of his claim for leave for a writ of habeas corpus. This sealed the fate of Oba Akitoye, suspected to have facilitated his earthly demise shortly thereafter.
The crisis in Rivers State shares some unsettling similarities with the events in Lagos nearly one century ago.
In Rivers today, as in Lagos then, a powerful man – in this case, the current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory and immediate past governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike – seeks to banish the current governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, from office using surrogates beholden to him in the state House of Assembly.
One important difference, though, is that the issues in Rivers State today hardly involve principle or the public interest. Framed though they are in legalese, these cases from Rivers State are about power and money grab.
This is not a first. It is the standard procedure of the current FCT Minister to seek to inveigle judges into acting as his political surrogates under a ruse of law.
In instigating this crisis, Mr Wike suffered a characteristic failure of his frontal lobe. He forgot his public vow to “give himself that respect” and not interfere in the affairs of the state after his exit from the office in May 2023. Rather, since leaving office as the state governor, Mr Wike has sought to install himself as the minister in Abuja and sole administrator in Port Harcourt.
He makes no effort to conceal that much of what passes as his political dare-devilry appears to be accomplished under the influence of sufficiently gluttonous amounts of dangerous beverage to entitle him to access to a defence of automatism in criminal law.
In October 2024, he told Seun Okinbaloye on Channels Television with undisguised hubris that the only solution to the crisis in Rivers State was for the incumbent governor to “obey court judgment.”
This was no advocate for the rule of law, however. Instead, Mr. Wike projected an air of political impregnability purchased with a currency bearing a distinct whiff of procured judicial cookery.
This is not entirely unexpected of an ambitious Nigerian politician without an alternative address (apologies to Deji Adeyanju). What is more difficult to overlook is the high judicial tolerance for the undisguised political importuning of judges.
Nigeria’s judicial system has been overtaken by a category known as “political cases.” In November 2023, former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Olukayode Ariwoola, reported that his Supreme Court registered 1,271 motions and appeals from September 12, 2022, to July 11, 2023. The court “heard 388 political appeals, 215 criminal appeals and 464 civil appeals.”
Two years earlier, in 2021, Ariwoola’s predecessor, Tanko Muhammad, reported that the court’s portfolio of 269 appeals disposed of included 139 civil appeals, 102 criminal appeals, and 28 “political cases”.
Nyesom Wike
According to CJN Ariwoola’s report, the court “delivered a total number of 251 judgments, of which 125 were political appeals, 81 were civil appeals, and 45 were criminal appeals.” The court’s output fell by 6.69% in just two years, but “political cases” rose from 10.67% to 49.8%. Even allowing for the fact that 2023 was an election year, this is a system collapse.
Nigeria’s judges appear to have decided that politicians are the only people entitled to exit from the courts. In turn, the politicians are happy to enjoy this exclusivity and to overwhelm the courts to the point that even judges now complain. They hire the priciest lawyers to frame undisguised power and money grabs as questions of law.
The Supreme Court can end this, but it is reluctant. Instead, the court affords powerful politicians the tolerance they are unwilling to extend to lesser mortals, preferring to enable this joint enterprise of senior lawyers and politicians. At the same time, it fetters its capacity to determine what should be a question of law deserving of its rarefied attention.
This sucks for many reasons. It prostitutes the bench, casualizes the constitutional guarantee of fair trial “within a reasonable time,” and portrays the judiciary as captured.
To describe this as Supreme pusillanimity is to be generous. It is a form of judicial lasciviousness syndrome, promenading judicial wares before political gawkers in a peonage system where the only effective currency is high political patronage.
The Supreme Court can make a bold statement in these Rivers State cases. It should be ready for many more proxy war days if it doesn’t.
Government Approves N1.149bn For Solar Street Lights, Infrastructure In Gombe
Government approves N1.149bn for solar street lights, infrastructure in Gombe. He said the governor approved the projects to align with his vision for infrastructure development.
The Gombe government has approved N1.149 billion for the installation of solar street lights and other infrastructure in three local government areas of the state.
Mahmood Yusuf, director-general, Joint Project Development Agency, stated this at a news conference on Thursday in Gombe.
He said the Joint Project Council (JPC) meeting chaired by Gov. Inuwa Yahaya, approved the projects to align with his vision for infrastructure development.
Mr Yusuf listed the projects to include the installation of solar street lights on newly constructed roads in Kumo at the total cost of N740 million; fencing of the NALDA market and installation of solar street lights at Kwadon area of Yamaltu/Deba, costing N362 million.
He said that N47 million has been approved for the expansion of the grains market and construction of six public toilets in Billiri.
Mr Yusuf said that the N112 million grain market project was approved in 2024, but reviewed upward to N159 million, to provide six additional toilets.
The director said the council also approved the deployment of GOSTEC and Operation Hatara personnel, to scale surveillance in schools and cemeteries in the state.
He said the measure was sequel to complaints over spate of theft in public buildings by the ALGON Chairman, Sani Haruna.
“The council has resolved to implement stricter security measures by deploying GOSTEC and Operation Hattara to enhance surveillance. The scope of Operation Hattara would be expanded to cover all the 11 LGAs,” he said.
Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya
Also, Fatima-Binta Bello, chairperson, Shongom Local Government Council, expressed readiness to consolidate on Mr Yahaya’s achievements in education and health sectors.
She stressed the need to strengthen human resources through recruitment of qualified personnel to address manpower gaps and enhance quality service delivery, especially at primary healthcare and basic education level.
Similarly; Ahmad Wali, chairman, Kwami LGC, said the council had initiated resurvey and remapping of grazing reserves and cattle routes to check farmer/herder clashes.
He warned that anyone found encroaching cattle routes and grazing lands would be sanctioned.
Umo Eno Is Committed To Blue Economy, Maritime Development: Oil , Gas
Umo Eno is committed to blue economy, maritime development: Oil , Gas . Akwa Ibom Oil and Gas Professionals have been assured of the commitment of the state government to harnessing the potentials of the blue economy and the extensive maritime development.
The Commissioner for Special Duties and Ibom Deep Sea Port, Comrade Ini Ememobong, reiterated the commitment of the state government to harnessing the potentials when he hosted members of the Akwa Ibom Oil and Gas Professionals to a courtesy call in his office on Thursday, March 13.
He said the recent commissioning of the Surge Protections project and development of Surge lines in Oron, was a demonstration of Governor Umo Eno’s dedication to maritime development, emphasising that the action would bring greater focus on maritime transport and recreation in the area.
Highlighting the significance of the Ibom Deep Seaport, which he described as a foundation for future development, Comrade Ememobong acknowledged the importance of a collaboration between the Ministry and the maritime oil and gas professionals and assured them of his readiness to work together with them, in order to drive growth and development in the maritime sector so as to achieve the long-term objectives of the state in the maritime sector.
The Commissioner stated that the industrial city envisioned by the Governor aims to build indigenous capacity and ensure local participation in its development, saying, “This is where the local content law comes into play, requiring that a certain percentage of the project’s workforce, services, and materials be sourced locally.”
“To activate this law, however, there needs to be available capacity among local individuals and businesses.
This is why His Excellency has prioritised capacity procurement, which ensures that the necessary skills and resources are in place before project execution begins. By doing so, the government can guarantee that local communities are well-prepared to take advantage of the opportunities arising from the industrial city’s development,” he emphasised.
Comrade Ememobong seized the occasion to commend the technical committee, led by Mrs. Mfon Usoro, in driving the Ibom Deep Seaport project forward, saying the committee is ready to collaborate with key stakeholders to turn the vision of the Ibom Deep Seaport into a reality.
Earlier, while addressing the Commissioner, the leader of the delegation and Secretary General Port State Control for the West and Central African Region, Captain Sunday Umoren, expressed his team’s enthusiasm in supporting the development of Akwa Ibom State’s maritime sector.
As indigenes of the state, with expertise in various sectors of the maritime cluster, they seek to give back by investing in human capacity building, in view of the upcoming Ibom Deep Seaport.
Umo Eno
“We are here to render our services to you; we will respect your support in planning because the deep seaport is coming: the port is just a notch, but there are other aspects to port development, which if we don’t position ourselves very well, we may end up having a deep seaport in Akwa Ibom but not making the best out of it.” He said.
Other members of the team were the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Project and Director of Project, Ibom Deep Seaport, Engr. Akaninyene Ekong; Former District Surveyor NIMASA, Marine Surveyor Engr. Eyo James; and Project Lead, Shell UK, Adjunct Professor John Moores University, UK, Prof Maurice Asuquo.
Also on the team were the Chief Engineer, Jad Construction limited, Warri, Engr. Iniobong Ebong; Marine Pilot, Nigerian Ports Authority, Bonny/Port Harcourt Pilotage District, Rivers Port Complex, Nkopuyo Abraham.
Tinubu Reveals How Buhari Almost Bankrupted Nigeria; He Quickly Saved The Country
Tinubu reveals how Buhari almost bankrupted Nigeria; He quickly saved The country. The statement came hours after Muhammadu Buhari issued a statement Thursday afternoon reiterating his loyalty to the president and the ruling APC.
President Bola Tinubu on Thursday said he took over a Nigeria that was in the throes of bankruptcy after eight years of his predecessor Muhammadu Buhari.
“Nigeria would have been bankrupt if we had not taken the actions that we took, and we had to prevent the economy’s collapse,” Mr Tinubu said during a meeting with a group of supporters at the State House in Abuja.
The Nigerian leader has faced criticism for mishandling the economy after inflation soared for consumer items nationwide, a development analyst blamed mainly on the president’s decision to eliminate subsidies on essential petroleum products.
Mr Buhari was the first politician to be elected president on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, serving two terms of four years each from 2015 to 2023. He handed power to Mr Tinubu on the same platform, arguing during his last days in office that he had turned the nation’s socio-economic conditions around during his tenure.
Both leaders remained key political allies, and Mr Buhari issued a statement earlier on Thursday reiterating his loyalty to Mr Tinubu and the APC, following rumours that the former president was considering joining a budding alliance to defeat Mr Tinubu at the ballot in 2027.
It was unclear how Mr Tinubu’s statement would be received by Mr Buhari, who now lives in Kaduna following his exit from power.
A spokesman for the former president did not immediately return a request seeking comments about his successor’s statement Thursday night.
A State House press release said the president sought to assuage citizens that conditions would continue to improve after inflation showed signs of cooling in recent months.
Read the full press statement as issued by the president’s spokesman Bayo Onanuga below:
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu articulated on Thursday the rationale behind his administration’s economic reforms, saying the primary motive was protecting the interests of future generations.
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“For 50 years, Nigeria was spending money of generations yet unborn and servicing the West coast of our subregion with fuel. It was getting difficult to plan for our children’s future,” he said.
He made these remarks at the State House in Abuja while receiving a delegation of former National Assembly colleagues from the aborted Third Republic, during which he served as a Senator representing Lagos West.
The President highlighted the challenges faced at the beginning of his administration, especially economic and social issues, and expressed his gratitude for the delegation’s support in addressing these difficulties:
“We faced serious headwinds when I took over, very challenging times. Nigeria would have been bankrupt if we had not taken the actions that we took, and we had to prevent the economy’s collapse.
President Tinubu declared that the administration had been able to stem the tide and expressed appreciation to Nigerians for their collective support in turning things around.
“Today, we are sitting pretty on a good foundation. We have reversed the problem; the Exchange rate is stabilising. Food prices are coming down, especially during Ramadan. We will have light at the end of the tunnel.”
He said firm adherence to democratic tenets is the best route to economic, social, and political development.
“I am happy that you are holding to your belief in democracy. I thank you for keeping faith and remembering how we started. Some people missed the ball.
“Some leadership failed, but we kept the faith with our democratic beliefs and freedom and the right to aspire to the highest office in the land. I am benefitting from it.”
Senator Emmanuel Chiedoziem Nwaka, who spoke on behalf of the group, expressed his delight at some of the programmes that the Tinubu administration had implemented, especially the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) and the Nigerian Consumer Credit Corporation (CREDICORP) and at what the two organisations were offering Nigerians.
“I appreciate you for what you are giving to students because the student population is the largest demographic in the country. I’ve spoken with many of them, and many have benefited from it.
Buhari Almost Bankrupted Nigeria
“And the next one is the CREDICORP. That’s a major way of fighting corruption. You see a young man, you come out of school, you want to buy a car, you have to put down cash, you want to buy a house, and you are not married, but with the CREDICORP, you can get things done. I’m following their activities; we are delighted,” he said.
Other members of the delegation were Sen. Bako Aufara Musa, Hon. Terwase Orbunde, Hon. Wasiu Logun, Hon. Amina Aliyu, High Chief Obi Anoliefo and Hon. Eze Nwauwa.
Bayo Onanuga
Special Adviser to the President
(Information & Strategy)
March 13, 2025
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