Nigeria's Democracy on Brink: Fidelis Oditah Condemns Court Order Freezing Rivers Funds

 

Nigeria's Democracy on Brink: Fidelis Oditah Condemns Court Order Freezing Rivers Funds

In a scathing critique, Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and King's Counsel (KC), Professor Fidelis Oditah, has condemned the court order directing the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to halt federal allocations to Rivers State. Oditah warned that the judiciary is crumbling under political pressure, undermining the principles of federalism and threatening Nigeria's democracy.

"This isn't just a political feud," Oditah stated on ARISE NEWS Channel. "It's about who holds constitutional authority in Rivers State." He emphasized that the crisis extends beyond politics, challenging the very foundation of Nigeria's democracy.

At the heart of the dispute is the alleged defection of lawmakers from the state's House of Assembly. Oditah dismissed claims that the lawmakers needed to follow a formal process to finalize their defection, likening it to resignation or lunacy. "There is no process of lunacy—it is what it is," he said.

Oditah criticized the recent Supreme Court judgment, warning that it harms the people of Rivers, not the politicians. "Rivers State is not just about Governor Fubara or Minister Wike—it is a federating unit entitled to federal allocations," he said.

Drawing historical parallels, Oditah referenced the 2004 Supreme Court ruling that barred President Obasanjo from withholding local government funds from Lagos State. "The judge in this case simply did not understand federalism," he said.

Oditah also expressed concerns about the judiciary's declining reputation, suggesting that certain judges have been manipulated by political figures. "It's hard to tell where judicial incompetence ends and corruption begins," he said. "Some decisions have been so indefensible that you cannot attribute them to incompetence—they are simply corrupt."

Oditah's warnings paint a grim picture of Nigeria's institutional decay. Comparing the situation to the January 6th insurrection in the United States, he noted that while American institutions withstood the crisis, Nigeria's are faltering due to political interference. "If unchecked, this crisis could push democracy to the brink," he cautioned ¹.