The Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, has stated that the Federal Government would be justified in releasing Rivers State’s blocked monthly allocation to the newly appointed Sole Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-ete Ibas (rtd).
Speaking with State House correspondents at the Presidential Villa on Wednesday, Fagbemi described the current political situation in the oil-rich state as extraordinary, suggesting that the initial decision to withhold the funds could be reconsidered.
“An extraordinary situation has arisen in Rivers State. When the administrator comes, he may request these funds, and to me, it will be in order for the release of that fund because the extraordinary situation has brought them out of the normal situation of things,” Fagbemi explained.
The Supreme Court, in a landmark ruling on February 28, 2025, barred the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the Accountant General of the Federation, and other relevant agencies from disbursing funds to the then-Siminalayi Fubara-led government.
The court based its decision on what it termed as “flagrant disobedience” to judicial orders by the Rivers State government.
President Bola Tinubu, in a nationwide address on March 18, 2025, declared a state of emergency in Rivers State, citing constitutional provisions under Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution.
As part of the emergency measures, Tinubu announced the suspension of Governor Fubara, his deputy, Ngozi Odu, and the entire Rivers State House of Assembly for six months.
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The decision has sparked widespread controversy, with opposition figures and legal experts condemning it as unconstitutional.
Critics include former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Labour Party’s Peter Obi, former Rivers governor Rotimi Amaechi, human rights lawyer Femi Falana, the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF).
Despite the backlash, the emergency rule has received support from the pro-Nyesom Wike faction of the suspended lawmakers.
They have accused Fubara of failing to comply with the Supreme Court ruling and have welcomed the federal intervention in the state’s governance.
As the political crisis in Rivers unfolds, all eyes remain on the Federal Government’s next steps and the potential legal battles that could arise from its decision to release the state’s withheld allocation.