Eze Condemns Supreme Court Ruling on Rivers Crisis, Alleges Judicial Manipulation
PORT HARCOURT/Nigeria: A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and former National Publicity Secretary of the defunct New Peoples Democratic Party (nPDP), Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, has strongly criticized the Supreme Court’s verdict on the ongoing political turmoil in Rivers State, describing it as “disappointing, unfortunate, and bizarre in Nigeria’s jurisprudence.”
The protracted crisis in Rivers has seen Governor Siminalayi Fubara in a fierce political battle with his predecessor and current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike. Reacting to Friday’s judgment, Eze condemned the Supreme Court’s decision allowing Speaker Martins Amaewhule and 26 defected lawmakers to resume sitting, despite what he described as “glaring evidence” of their defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC.
Eze accused the judiciary of succumbing to “corruption, compromise, manipulation, and intimidation at the highest level,” arguing that the ruling legitimizes “illegality and an affront to Nigeria’s democratic rule.” He insisted that the judgment was not just an attack on Fubara but on Nigeria’s democracy, calling on citizens to “rise and defend democracy” from external interference.
He further alleged that the Supreme Court’s directive to halt the release of Rivers State funds from the federation account was part of a broader scheme to destabilize the oil-rich state, serving the political interests of Wike and his allies. “I weep for Nigeria’s judiciary,” he lamented, describing the institution as “entangled in hopelessness” since the controversial removal of former Chief Justice Walter Onnoghen under the Buhari administration.
Eze accused the APC-led government of “kidnapping and raping” the judiciary, alleging that courts at all levels are now under the influence of Wike. “Who can defeat Wike at the FCT, Federal High Courts, the Court of Appeal, or the Supreme Court? Nobody for now. That’s how bad the system has become,” he declared.
Despite the mounting challenges, Eze commended Governor Fubara for standing his ground against Wike’s influence, stating that had the situation been reversed, “Rivers State would have been plunged into chaos, with wanton destruction of lives and property.” He urged the governor to remain “focused, resolute, and God-fearing” as he steers the state through turbulent political waters.
Eze concluded with a warning that the unfolding power play in Rivers State was a calculated attempt by the Tinubu-led administration to establish a one-party system through Wike’s control. He urged Nigerians to resist what he described as an “unholy political romance” between Wike and the presidency, predicting that “history will judge those behind this aberration.”
