Kehinde Fajobi
The Rivers State Government has filed an appeal against the Abuja Federal High Court’s ruling barring the Central Bank of Nigeria from releasing federal allocations to the state.
Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s administration expressed confidence that the Court of Appeal would overturn what they believe was a biased judgment.
Joseph Johnson, the state’s Commissioner for Information and Communications, told The PUNCH, “We saw this judgment coming the way it did when the trial judge refused 23 council chairmen as joinders, refused the state to change their lawyer, and refused our objection challenging the federal high court’s jurisdiction.
“The judgment has already been appealed, and I believe the Court of Appeal will upturn it. We are not panicked, and there is no cause for alarm,” he said.
The High Court’s decision came from Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, who ruled that Governor Fubara’s presentation of the 2024 budget to a four-member House of Assembly violated constitutional requirements.
Describing the budget as an “unlawful budget,” she ordered the CBN, the Accountant-General of the Federation, Zenith Bank, and Access Bank to prevent further access to federal allocations until Fubara complied with constitutional provisions.
“Appropriation bills must be presented to a legitimate House of Assembly before funds are disbursed. In this case, the fifth defendant (Fubara) has not presented any budgetary appropriation known to law to any legitimate House of Assembly,” she stated.
Justice Abdulmalik’s ruling followed a suit brought by the Martin Amaewhule-led Rivers House of Assembly, loyal to FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, challenging the legitimacy of Fubara’s budget.
Previously, the Court of Appeal had invalidated actions by Fubara’s allies in the Assembly, deeming the four-member legislative body unlawful.
The ruling also nullified a judgment by a Rivers State High Court that had earlier validated Fubara’s budget.