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Nyesom Wike, the Federal Capital Territory Minister, declared on Friday, February 28, 2025, that the Supreme Court’s decisive judgment on the Rivers State House of Assembly turmoil has slammed the brakes on unchecked lawlessness in the oil-laden region, restoring order to a tense political battlefield.
In a landmark decision that same day, the nation’s highest court issued a stern edict, blocking the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the Accountant General of the Federation, and other federal bodies from funneling funds to the Rivers State administration until it sheds what the justices branded as brazen defiance of judicial mandates—a financial chokehold with far-reaching stakes.
A united front of five justices swiftly dismantled a counter-appeal from Governor Siminalayi Fubara, who had contested the legitimacy of the Assembly under Speaker Martin Amaewhule, cementing the latter’s authority in a ruling that left no room for ambiguity.
The court didn’t stop there—it struck down the state’s recent local council polls, deeming them a sham that trampled the Electoral Act’s core tenets, a move that erased the electoral slate and underscored the judiciary’s muscle in policing governance.
Moments after the gavel fell, Wike faced the press in Abuja, lauding the judiciary as a steadfast guardian of legal integrity, his words carrying the weight of a victor savoring a hard-fought triumph in a saga that’s gripped Nigeria’s political nerve center.
“If you allow this, one day one member will constitute an assembly and there is nothing you can do, it is unheard of. We must commend the judiciary for being bold to say this impunity must not be allowed,” Wike said.
Read also: Rivers: Crisis With Wike Led To My Freedom – Gov Fubara
“You failed to follow the Electoral Act in terms of conducting local government elections. People were hailing him (Governor Siminalyi Fubara) ‘Yes you have done well.”
Wike, a former Rivers State Governor, also took a swipe at the Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors’ Forum and Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed for supporting Governor Siminalyi Fubara
He said the Rivers State Governor has no choice but to fully comply with the Supreme Court’s verdict, as it represents the final legal authority on the matter.
“I hope they will also hail him today. I hope the Chairman of the PDP Governors Forum will also hail him today. Supreme Court has come out to say enough is enough, we must not truncate our democracy,” he added.
FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, speaking on Friday, February 28, 2025, proclaimed that the Supreme Court’s ruling has finally silenced a 15-month storm rattling Rivers State, leaving the matter resolved by the nation’s ultimate arbiter—with the only recourse now being a plea to divine intervention.
“They keep chanting my name, but this isn’t about me,” Wike told reporters in Abuja. “How does someone tear down the state’s legislative cornerstone and herd a splinter group into his parlor? It’s a spectacle no one’s seen before.”
“For Nigerians and Rivers folks alike, this is a breath of relief—the reign of recklessness had to end. We can’t let anyone sabotage the nation’s democratic bedrock,” he asserted, framing the verdict as a victory for order over chaos.
Wike brushed off notions of legal muscle being the key, remarking, “It’s not about rounding up 40 Senior Advocates—it’s about honoring the law’s spine and trusting sharp minds to steer the ship straight.”
