By Ola Williams-
The Rivers State Government has announced its decision to appeal a Federal High Court ruling that blocked the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) from disbursing funds to the state.
This decision has put a hold on the state’s monthly allocations due to procedural issues in the state’s budget approval process.
Governor Siminalayi Fubara has been entangled in a political standoff with the Rivers State House of Assembly, led by Speaker Martin Amaewhule, an ally of Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike. This friction has previously led to impeachment attempts against the governor.
In response to the recent court ruling, Rivers State’s Commissioner for Information, Joseph Johnson, expressed confidence in a successful appeal. “We saw this judgment coming,” Johnson remarked.
“The trial judge refused 23 council chairmen as joinders, rejected the state’s attempt to change its lawyer, and dismissed our jurisdictional objections. The judgment has already been appealed, and we believe the Court of Appeal will overturn it. There is no cause for alarm,” he added.
The controversy originated when Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court ruled that Governor Fubara’s presentation of the 2024 budget to only four Assembly members contravened Nigeria’s Constitution. Additionally, the judge criticized Fubara’s use of state funds without full legislative approval, describing it as a “Constitutional violation.”
Justice Abdulmalik instructed the CBN, alongside Zenith Bank and Access Bank, to prevent Fubara from accessing state funds until the budget is properly approved by a constitutionally valid House of Assembly.
This ruling is based on a lawsuit filed by the Rivers House of Assembly and Speaker Amaewhule against the CBN, Zenith Bank, Access Bank, and several other state officials and agencies.
The plaintiffs argued that Governor Fubara has failed to comply with a prior court order requiring him to resubmit the 2024 Appropriation Bill to the Amaewhule-led Assembly faction.
