National leader of the Labour Party (LP) and flag-bearer in the February 25, 2023 presidential election, Mr. Peter Obi, has decried the recent court ruling withholding the release of funds to the Rivers State government, describing the development as disturbing, and ought to be reversed.
In a post on his X handle on Friday (today, November 1), Obi said the impact of such a ruling on the people who are the owners of the money in question would be far-reaching and worth revisiting.
“In my political trajectory, I have consistently refrained from name-calling or engaging in personal disputes, choosing to focus on issues that directly impact the masses, particularly the suffering poor of Nigeria. Despite the national attention the Rivers state crisis has gained, I have largely stayed away from matters specific to a state, but a recent court judgment halting allocations to the state—and the resulting consequences—demands attention.
“This curious decision now calls upon every well-meaning individual to appeal for its immediate reversal.
“Consider the pensioner struggling to survive on a meager income alongside the health workers, school teachers, civil servants, and everyday citizens whose lives are already marked by severe hardship. How much more can they endure?
“This latest development risks pushing them even further into distress—even into untimely deaths—by compounding the challenges they face each day.
“As leaders—whether in the Executive, Legislative, or Judicial, our decisions and actions should be guided by a commitment to the less privileged and vulnerable among us. As we work towards a better future for all, we must genuinely care about the poor and prioritize the well-being of every Nigerian. What we do today should lay the foundation for a new Nigeria that is possible.”
