RIVERS STATE’S POLITICAL CHESS GAME: The Supreme Court, Fubara’s Counterattack, and Nigeria’s Looming Democratic Crisis
The Supreme Court ruling must have felt like the final whistle to Wike’s camp. His loyalists likely popped champagne, thinking the game was over. “We got him!” they must have cheered, in the same way Abuja politicians celebrate winning party primaries, by spraying crisp mint Naira notes.
But did anyone remind them that Rivers State has its own judiciary? While Wike’s handpicked Assembly members were flexing their newfound Supreme Court-backed power, Fubara’s commissioners and the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RISIEC) chairman, Justice Adolphus Enebeli (rtd), decided to prove a point: Port Harcourt no be Lagos! They stormed the state court and slapped the Assembly with a lawsuit, as forcefully as an Igbo trader demanding full payment. Their demand? A court order blocking the Assembly from interfering with their appointments and duties. And guess what? The state court delivered, swift and sharp, like a market woman selling hot akara at dawn.
The Legislative Power Grab That Backfired
Wike’s Assembly had been riding a power high, issuing a 48-hour ultimatum to Fubara, demanding he submit a fresh list of commissioners and the 2025 budget. They outright rejected the 19 commissioners he appointed, claiming they were not properly confirmed. But here’s the problem, Fubara never officially received their ultimatum. At least, that’s his story. “Oh, you sent me a letter? Omo, no be me you send am. My bad, I must have missed it between all these court cases and political backstabbing.” Classic Lagos ‘soft work’ excuse.
Meanwhile, Speaker Amaewhule and his lawmakers, feeling invincible, summoned the RISIEC chairman to explain why he dared to conduct an election that the Supreme Court had nullified. Their strategy was clear: strip Fubara of all authority and reduce him to a figurehead governor, one of those ‘Instagram big men’ with louder accounts than bank balances.
But Fubara, a true son of Port Harcourt, wasn’t about to roll over. His commissioners struck back, dragging the battle into the Rivers State High Court. They argued that the Assembly had no power to overturn their appointments. And oh, the irony! While Wike weaponized the judiciary in Abuja, Fubara turned the judiciary in Port Harcourt against Wike’s lawmakers. The court didn’t just grant the commissioners permission to serve the lawsuit, it ordered them to paste the legal notice on the gates of the Assembly Quarters!
Picture the scene: Amaewhule and his crew walking into work, only to see court documents slapped on their walls like ‘house for rent’ posters in Ajegunle. How dare you! The lawmakers thought this would be a walk in the park, but my brother, this is no Buga dance, this is political survival!
The Budget Stalemate: A Governor Trapped, A Legislature Stuck
With legal documents flying around like election campaign flyers, the 2025 budget presentation has become an impossible mission. The Assembly had ordered Fubara to submit the budget, but now, how can he? His Finance Commissioner, Emmanuel Frank-Fubara, can’t process it, because the state court froze all actions related to the commissioners.
Wike’s lawmakers wanted to force Fubara’s hand, but now, they’re stuck too. No budget, no governance, just a legal deadlock. The Supreme Court may have stamped authority on Wike’s Assembly, but the state court has effectively locked down the treasury, faster than the EFCC chasing Yahoo boys.
The Two-Court Battle: Federal vs. State Judiciary
This is where things get even funnier. The Supreme Court backed Wike’s team, but Fubara now has home advantage, local referees calling the shots. The political game is now being played on two courts:
Federal Court (Supreme Court) – Where Wike thought he had neutralized Fubara.
State Court (Rivers Judiciary) – Where Fubara just checkmated Wike’s lawmakers.
Wike may have thought controlling Abuja was enough, but politics isn’t just about who runs the capital, it’s about who owns the streets back home. Rather than fold, Fubara has turned Rivers’ legal system into his political shield, like a Yoruba demon dodging relationship commitment.
What Happens Next? The Political Endgame
Will Wike rush back to the Supreme Court, looking for another ruling? Will he search for an “Abuja Judge” to perform one more legal miracle? Sorry, but that might not work this time. Abuja courts have no jurisdiction over state matters.
Fubara has dug in, like a Niger Delta militant preparing for government amnesty negotiations. The state judiciary is now his first line of defense. The lawmakers can ignore the lawsuit all they want, but the reality is clear:
The budget presentation is stalled.
The governor still has control of the treasury.
The judiciary is now a political battleground.
Wike thought the Supreme Court sealed the deal, but Fubara just proved that governance isn’t won in courtrooms alone. This drama is far from over. Naija people, grab your popcorn, zobo, and suya—this one go long!
The Bigger Picture: Nigeria’s Democracy is at a Crossroads
Beyond the political fireworks, Rivers State exposes a deeper Nigerian crisis, the rule of man over the rule of law. Every institution in this battle, whether the Supreme Court, the Rivers State Judiciary, the House of Assembly, or the Governor’s office, has been dragged into a game of power, not governance.
Where is democracy in all of this?
Nigeria must realize that a politicized judiciary, a compromised legislature, and self-serving politicians do not strengthen democracy—they destroy it. When institutions serve personal ambitions rather than the people, governance becomes a battlefield for political godfathers. This is why states like Rivers remain stuck in power struggles instead of real development.
To move forward, Nigeria must demand:
A truly independent judiciary, not one that swings in favor of the highest bidder.
A legislature that serves the people, not a rubber stamp for political bosses.
An executive that governs, not just survives, power struggles should not come before governance.
Until we remove the rule of man and embrace the rule of law, Nigeria’s democracy will remain a fragile joke.
The lesson from Rivers is simple: Political godfatherism will always clash with democratic governance. But the real question remains, will Nigeria ever break free?
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