Abuja FHC stops CBN from Releasing Allocation to Rivers
Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of a Federal High Court in Abuja has ruled that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), should stop releasing monthly financial allocations to the Rivers State government.
The judgement followed a suit registered in FHC/ABJ/CS/984/24, which was brought before the court by the Martins Amaewhule-led faction of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
Defendants in the matter include the CBN, Zenith Bank Plc, Access Bank Plc and the Accountant-General of the Federation (AGF).
Others are Governor Siminalayi Fubara, the Accountant-General of Rivers; Rivers Independent Electoral Commission, RSIEC; Chief Judge of Rivers, Hon. Justice S.C. Amadi; Chairman of RSIEC, Hon. Justice Adolphus Enebeli (rtd.) and the Government of Rivers State.
Meanwhile in the judgement on Wednesday, the court held that the receipt and disbursement of monthly allocations since January this year by Governor Fubara is a constitutional somersault and aberration that must not be allowed to continue.
Justice Abdulmalik held that the presentation of the 2024 budget by Fubara before a 4-member Rivers House of Assembly was an affront to the Constitutional provision.
The Judge said that Fubara action in implementing unlawful budget smacked gross violations of the 1999 Constitution he swore to protect.
The judge therefore restrained the CBN, the Accountant General of the Federation, Zenith Bank and Access Bank from further allowing Fubara to access money from the Consolidated Revenue and Federation Account.