OUR DEAR RIVERS STATE: “QUO VADIS?”
QUO VADIS IS A CLASSIC LATIN PHRASE, MEANING, “WHERE ARE YOU GOING?”
SO, IN THIS CONTEXT, THE CLEAR QUESTION IS; RIVERS STATE: WHERE ARE YOU GOING?.
IN THIS EDITION, I SHALL BRING TO THE FORE, SOME SALIENT ISSUES AND CRAVE FOR THE UNBIASED APPRECIATION OF READERS AND CHALLENGE READERS TO MAKE VALUABLE AND VALID JUDGEMENTS.
TO ACHIEVE THIS, I SHALL COPIOUSLY REPRODUCE THE FOLLOWING SECTIONS OF THE CONSTITUTION OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA, 1999, AS AMENDED.
SECTION 120 of the 1999 CFRN as amended.
(POWERS AND CONTROL OVER PUBLIC FUNDS)
- All revenues or other moneys raised or received by a State (not being revenues or other moneys payable under this constitution or any law of a House of Assembly into any other public fund of the State established for a specific purpose), shall be paid into and form one consolidated Revenue fund of the State.
- No moneys shall be withdrawn from the consolidated Revenue fund of the State except to meet expenditure that is charged upon the fund by this constitution or where the issue of those moneys has been authorized by an Appropriation Law or Law passed in pursuance of section 121 of this constitution.
- No moneys shall be withdrawn from any public fund of the State other than the consolidated Revenue fund of the State, unless the issue of those moneys has been authorized by a Law of the House of Assembly of the State.
- No moneys shall be withdrawn from the consolidated Revenue fund of the State or any other public fund of the State except in the manner prescribed by the House of Assembly
Section 122 of the 1999 CFRN as amended.
If the Appropriation bill in respect of any financial year has not been passed into law by the beginning of the financial year, the Governor may authorize the withdrawal of moneys from the consolidated Revenue Fund of the State for the purpose of meeting expenditure necessary to carry on the services of the government for a period not exceeding six months or until the coming into operation of the Law, whichever way is the earliest.
Provided that the withdrawal in respect of any such period shall not exceed the amount authorized to be withdrawn from the consolidated Revenue Fund of the State under the provisions of the Appropriation Law passed by the House of Assembly for the corresponding period in the immediately preceding financial year, being an amount proportionate to the total amount of so authorized for the immediately preceding financial year.
PLEASE READ THESE SIDE BY SIDE WITH THE UNAPPEALED FEDERAL HIGH COURT JUDGEMENT DELIVERED BY J.K. OMOTOSHO, ON THE 22ND OF JANUARY, 2024.
THE JUDGEMENT IN POINT, DEALT WITH SEVERAL TORNY ISSUES BROUGHT BEFORE IT: NAMELY;
THE LEGITIMATE SPEAKER OF THE RIVERS STATE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY;
THE CLERK OF THE HOUSE;
THE ISSUE OF IMPOSITION OF EDISON EHIE AS SPEAKER OF RIVERS STATE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY;
PURPORTED DECLARATION OF THE SEATS OF RT HON MARTIN AMAEWHULE AND 25 OTHERS, VACANT;
THE ISSUE OF BUDGET PRESENTED TO AN ILLEGITIMATE ASSEMBLY MEMBERS ,et al.
IN ALL OF THESE, JUDGEMENTS WERE ENTERED IN FAVOUR OF THE PLAINTIFFS IN THE MATTER IN SUIT NO: FHC/ABJ/CS/1613/2023.
I REFER YOU TO THE 72 PAGE JUDGEMENT DELIVERED ON THE 22/01/2024
ALSO READ THE ENROLLED ORDER OF THE COURT OF APPEAL DELIVERED ON THE 4TH OF JULY, 2024.
I REPRODUCE VERBATIM.
IT IS HEREBY ORDERED THAT:
- THIS APPEAL HAS MERIT AND IT IS HEREBY ALLOWED.
- THE TRIAL COURT LACKS THE JURISDICTION TO HEAR AND DETERMINE THE SUIT FILED BY THE IST AND 3RD RESPONDENTS.
CONSEQUENTLY, SUIT NO. PHC/1512/CS/2024: HON. VICTOR OKO JUMBO AND 2 OTHERS VS RT. HON. MARTIN CHIKE AMAEWHULE & 24 OTHERS IS HEREBY STRUCK OUT.
- CONSEQUENTLY, PARTIES ARE TO RETURN TO THE STATUS QUO ANTE BELLUM.
STATUS QUO ANTE BELLUM:
WHAT DOES IT MEAN/WHAT IS THE ROOT WORD?
STATUS QUO ANTE BELLUM IS ANOTHER LATIN PHRASE MEANING, THE SITUATION AS IT EXISTED BEFORE THE WAR.
“ANTE BELLUM ” MEANS “BEFORE THE WAR.”
IT ROOTS BACK TO 1840 WHEN IT WAS FIRST USED IN TREATIES TO REFER TO THE WITHDRAWAL OF ENEMY TROOPS AND THE RESTORATION OF PREWAR LEADERSHIP.
“STATUS QUO ANTE BELLUM” SIMPLY MEANS THE STATE OF AFFAIRS BEFORE THE BEGINNING OF HOSTILITIES.
IS THIS STILL DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND?
WHAT WAS THE SITUATION IN RIVERS STATE BEFORE THE HOSTILITIES STARTED?
IS IT WHAT THE COURT OF APPEAL IN HER WELL CONSIDERED UNANIMOUS JUDGEMENT ORDERED?
PROVIDE THE ANSWERS.
LET ME TERSELY ASK:
NOW THAT THE LAW TODAY RECOGNISES RT HON MARTIN AMAEWHULE AS SPEAKER OF RIVERS STATE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY AND 25 OTHERS AS MEMBERS OF RIVERS STATE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY, WHAT IS EXPECTED?
NOW THAT THE LAW TODAY IN RIVERS STATE DECLARES A NULLITY, THE PURPORTED PRESENTATION OF BUDGET TO A NON~EXISTENT SPEAKER (SEE THE UNCHALLENGED J.K OMOTOSHO JUDGEMENT, 22ND JANUARY, 2024).
NOW THAT THE LAW TODAY ORDERS THE RETURN TO THE STATUS OF THE STATE BEFORE THE COMMENCEMENT OF POLITICAL AND LEGAL HOSTILITIES.
NOW THAT THE GOVERNOR’S WINDOW OF EXPENDITURE FROM WITHDRAWAL FROM STATE COFFERS WITHIN 6 MONTHS UNTIL THE COMING INTO OPERATION OF THE LAW, WHICHEVER IS EARLIER (SEE SECTION 122 OF THE I999 CONSTITUTION OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA AS AMENDED), HAS EXPIRED ON THE 30TH OF JUNE 2024.
CAN THE GOVERNOR WITHIN THE PREVALENT LAW, CONTINUE TO WITHDRAW MONEYS FROM THE CONSOLIDATED REVENUE FUND OF THE STATE?.
CENTRAL TO ALL THESE POSERS IS: “WHERE IS RIVERS STATE GOING TO? (QUO VADIS)
CONCLUSION:
LET ME CONCLUDE THUSLY:
IRREDENTISM AND REVISIONISM.
MY FIRST CONSCIENTIOUS COUNSEL IS AGAINST THESE CATEGORY OF PERSONS IN OUR STATE AND HIRELINGS FROM OUTSIDE AS THE IGNOBLE SOCIAL CLUB DUBBED G60 WHO ACCORDING TO GOVERNOR FUBARA’S COMMISSIONER OF JUSTICE AND ATTORNEY GENERAL, IS NOW THE OFFICIAL MOUTHPIECE OF RIVERS STATE GOVERNMENT.
THE TEACHING OF SOME PROFESSORS OF LAW AND SENIOR ADVOCATES WHICH GINGER THE DEFEATED GROUP TO SPOIL FOR FRUITLESS ACTIONS, WILL NOT HELP.
SUCH CHARACTERS ARE ADVISED AND SHOULD BE WARNED BY RIVERS PEOPLE, TO COME OFF THIS WICKED ENTERPRISE AND STOCK IN TRADE, WEAVED TO SERVE SELFISH PECUNIARY INTEREST.
RIVERS PEOPLE SHOULD DISTANCE THEMSELVES FROM THEIR “AHITOPHELIC” COUNSEL
IN SAME WISE, GOVERNOR FUBARA SHOULD MAKE HIMSELF UNAVAILABLE TO THE “REHOBOAMIC” COUNSELS OF KINGDOM BREAKERS.
THE SOUND AND PROFOUND JUDGEMENT OF THE LEARNED JUSTICES OF THE COURT OF APPEAL DELIVERED ON THE 4TH OF JULY 2024, SHOULD PROVIDE ANOTHER AVENUE/OPPORTUNITY FOR A TRUCE IN RIVERS STATE.
IF THE LETTERS AND SPIRITS ARE TO BE RECEIVED AND INTERNALIZED WITH OPEN MIND, RIVERS STATE WILL RETURN TO RELATIVE PEACE AND AS WELL, REGAIN HER LOST GLORIES.
THE RESPONSES AND ACTIONS I GET FROM THE AFORE STATED CONCERNS WILL AID A CONCLUSION OF “NUNC DIMITTIS”, OR HERALDING OF ANGELIC REBIRTH.
SIGNED:
SIR (CHIEF) TONY C. OKOCHA, DSSRS, JP,
LEADER/CHAIRMAN,
ALL PROGRESSIVES CONGRESS (APC),
RIVERS STATE.
JULY 8, 2024.
