By Kolawole Ojebisi
A Pan Niger Delta Youths group, which called its self Niger Delta Youths Body has described the Supreme Court order to the Central Bank of Nigeria(CBN) to withhold Rivers State allocation as infantile and an invitation to anarchy and fight against justice, equity and fair play.
The Niger Delta group added that the court verdict is amounts to “economic sabotage” capable of truncating the peace and sustainable development being provided by the State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara.
In a statement issued in Port Harcourt on Saturday, the group expressed shock at the judgment, cautioning that the judiciary would be held responsible for any breakdown of law and order in Rivers State following the judgment of the apex court’s directive that the CBN should withhold the monthly allocation of the state.
The statement, which was signed by the spokesperson for the group, Chika Adiele, was made available to newsmen in the early hours of Sunday.
The statement reads, “The attention of the Pan Niger Delta Youths under the leadership of Maobu Nangi Obu, is shocked at the verdict by the Supreme Court of Nigeria ordering seizure of Rivers Allocation is nothing short of economic sabotage against Rivers people.”
It added, “The Pan Niger Delta Youths, the apex Niger Delta youths body, is dismayed by the infantile antics of anti-democratic forces whose stock in trade is brewing crisis in a bid to topple the people’s governor.
“We firmly condemn this judgment as it is against the tenet of the constitution of Nigeria. It is an invitation for war and against equity, justice and fair play. We equally condemn the order nullifying the local government election as reckless and vindictive.
Obu emphasised that the principle of democracy is surely rooted on sound constitutional pronouncement with a view to establishing justice, saying, “Therefore, any attempt by the enemies of Rivers people to seize power by judicial fiat will be resisted by the Niger Delta youths.”
The statement further read, “We cannot be cowed neither shall we lay in surrender at the altar of political manipulations of rascals.
“We reiterate boldly once again that anyone, no matter how highly placed, will face fierce resistance by the majority of Rivers people. Let justice prevail.”
