Rivers State APC Upset Over Local Government Funds Dispute

The Rivers State branch of the All Progressives Congress (APC) is very upset because a man named Tony Okocha is trying to stop money from going to the state’s 23 local governments. Tony is part of a group that says they are in charge, but others in the party disagree.

The main part of Rivers APC, led by Emeke Beke, is not happy. They feel Tony is ignoring a court decision that said Tony and his team should not be in charge. The Rivers APC spokesperson, Darlington Nwauju, said it’s not right for Tony to keep saying he’s the boss. He said Tony’s actions hurt people in Rivers State who need their local governments to work properly.

Darlington Nwauju pointed out that many people in Rivers depend on local government jobs for their everyday lives. If local governments don’t get money, it becomes hard for these people to work and earn a living.

The APC also asked the courts to be fair and not get involved in political issues. They think political fights shouldn’t affect the rule of law. The APC said the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) did a good job of running local elections, just like they are supposed to.

They believe the court should not stop elections or control who gets the money that local governments need. They mentioned that in the past, even the Supreme Court said that the federal government cannot control local government funds because these governments are elected by the people.

The APC recalled how in 2004, when President Obasanjo tried to stop Lagos state from using its funds, Lagos fought back in court and won. They also mentioned the Supreme Court has always protected local governments’ rights to receive funding without problems.

The APC remembered a time when a law was quickly made to stop people from going to court over local elections. They are also aware that some people want money for themselves, which is not good for everyone.

Finally, the APC suggested a better way to hire election officials. They think using advertisements and recommendations through a formal process would be fairer. The goal is to make sure everyone trusts how elections are run and to make sure local governments can help the people who depend on them.