PANDEF condemns Supreme Court ruling on Rivers State funds, calls for reconsideration

The people of Rivers State are facing an economic crisis following the Supreme Court’s decision to uphold a ruling that halts the disbursement of funds meant for the state’s local government areas.

The Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) has strongly condemned the verdict, warning that it could have dire consequences for the welfare and stability of the region.

In a statement released on Friday, PANDEF’s spokesperson, Obiuwevbi Ominimini, expressed deep concern over the implications of the judgment, describing it as a direct attack on the economic and social well-being of the people of Rivers State.

The ruling, which upholds an earlier Federal High Court decision directing the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to suspend the release of funds allocated to the state’s local governments, has sparked outrage within the region.

“The biggest casualties of this decision are the innocent citizens of Rivers State,” Ominimini stated. “These funds are crucial for economic growth, social welfare, and infrastructural development. Stalling their disbursement only worsens the hardship faced by the people.”

Rivers State, a significant contributor to Nigeria’s oil and gas wealth, is now grappling with what PANDEF describes as financial strangulation.

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The group argues that withholding these funds is not just an economic setback but also an injustice to a people who have long sustained the nation’s economy.

“Depriving the state of its rightful allocations imposes undue hardship on a people who have consistently contributed to national sustenance,” PANDEF asserted in its statement.

The ruling comes at a delicate time when the South-South region has been working towards maintaining peace and fostering development. PANDEF fears that the court’s decision could jeopardize ongoing reconciliation efforts led by the Obong Victor Attah-led Peace and Reconciliation Committee, which has been instrumental in easing tensions and fostering unity within Rivers State.

While reaffirming its commitment to peace and stability in the Niger Delta, PANDEF has made a fervent appeal to the Supreme Court to reconsider its stance, not for political reasons, but in the interest of the people’s survival and prosperity.

“The South-South region has remained a pillar of peace and a vital component of Nigeria’s economy,” Ominimini emphasized. “Judicial and political institutions must handle such matters with fairness, wisdom, and foresight.”

Beyond calling for a judicial review, PANDEF has urged the Federal Government, political actors, and the judiciary to prioritize the well-being and economic rights of the people of Rivers State over political rivalries.

The group insists that governance should be driven by economic imperatives rather than political disputes.

“The sanctity of governance demands that economic imperatives take precedence over political disputes for the greater good of the nation,” the statement concluded.