Comrade Timi Frank, the former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has raised concerns over an alleged scheme by Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, aimed at obtaining a court injunction to halt the release of funds from the Federation Account to the 22 Local Government Councils in Rivers State.
In a statement released on Sunday in Abuja, Frank claimed that Wike and his allies, who oppose Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara, resorted to this tactic after failing to prevent the successful local government elections held on October 5, 2024.
Frank asserted that Wike intends to approach a Federal High Court in Abuja as early as Monday with a dubious writ, seeking to block monthly allocations to the local governments on the grounds that the elections violated a prior court ruling.
He urged Wike to abandon this plot in the interest of Rivers State’s citizens and find alternative ways to resolve his differences with Governor Fubara. Frank also called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to ensure that Wike does not tarnish his democratic legacy through such regressive legal maneuvers, recalling that local councils in Lagos faced similar issues during Tinubu’s tenure as governor due to actions orchestrated by former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
As the ULMWP Ambassador to East Africa and the Middle East, Frank warned the judiciary—especially judges and justices—to resist any attempts by Wike to gain personal advantage through frivolous requests.
Additionally, he criticized the police for their perceived partiality in the ongoing political turmoil in Rivers State, urging them to protect all citizens rather than siding with the ruling APC.
“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu cannot afford to remain passive while Wike attempts to undermine democracy in Rivers State and, by extension, Nigeria,” Frank stated.
He warned that the anti-democratic actions reminiscent of those taken by Obasanjo, who seized funds intended for local councils in Lagos during Tinubu’s governorship, should not be repeated in Rivers State.
Frank claimed that Wike is finalizing plans to secure a dubious court order that would prevent the allocation of monthly funds to local government councils, a move he deems unacceptable. He emphasized that such an action could lead to economic disruption not only in Rivers State but across the nation, threatening the democratic advancements achieved since 1999.
“Any action that threatens democracy, similar to the ongoing situations in some West African nations, must be avoided,” he warned. “The people of Rivers State have elected their council chairmen and councilors according to the recent Supreme Court ruling to democratize all LGAs in Nigeria. Any attempt to undermine democracy in Rivers will be met with resistance from the citizens.”
Frank urged Governor Fubara to remain focused amid the challenges posed by his political adversaries and congratulated the people of Rivers State on their successful election of council representatives, encouraging them to continue their support for the Governor.