Governor Siminalayi Fubara has denied a viral social media post claiming that he has shut down oil operations in the Rivers State.
On Wednesday, a federal high court in Abuja restrained the Central Bank of Nigeria from further disbursing financial allocations to the Rivers State government.
Joyce Abdulmalik, presiding judge, issued the verdict while delivering judgment on a suit filed by the Rivers State house of assembly led by Martins Amaewhule.
The court held that monies from the federation account should not be released to the state pending the passage of a lawful appropriation act by a validly constituted house of assembly.
The post making the round says: “Breaking News: Rivers State Governor Sim Fubara Shuts Down NNPC and All Oil Companies in Rivers State, Declares “No Allocation for Rivers State, No Oil for Nigeria”. In a bold move, Rivers State Governor Sim Fubara has ordered the shutdown of NNPC and all oil companies operating in Rivers State, declaring that without federal allocation for Rivers State, there will be no oil for Nigeria. Within minutes of the shutdown, Nigeria dropped in the global oil production ranking from 4th to 24th. Governor Fubara has openly challenged Minister Nyesom Wike and President Bola Tinubu to take action against this stance and see Nigeria boil.”
But in a brief chat on Thursday, Fubara said the post is false.
“We believe in the rule of law and we have filed an appeal against the high court ruling.
“We will see this to a logical conclusion and we believe justice will be done.
“I urge Nigerians to ignore the fake report that I ordered that oil operations be shut down in the state,” he said.
Warisenibo Joe Johnson, the commissioner for information and communication, later issued a statement.
“The attention of Rivers State Government has been drawn to a spurious news item circulating on social media on “Gov. Siminalayi Fubara shutting down NNPCL and all oil companies in Rivers State.
“The report was not only false, but a concocted propaganda from the imagination of the author and enemies of the State. The story was also circulated by an inconsequential and unverified medium.
“Governor Siminalayi Fubara is committed to the rule of law and does not rely on unconventional and crude approaches to respond to matters of governance.
“We therefore enjoin Rivers people and well-meaning Nigerians to discountenance the spurious and fake report as Governor Fubara at no time contemplated and/or directed such needless order of shutting down the economy for any reason.”
