Court Halts CBN Disbursements To Rivers State Government

Abuja, Nigeria – The Federal High Court in Abuja has issued a landmark ruling prohibiting the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) from releasing additional monthly financial allocations to the Rivers State government.

Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, in her judgment on Wednesday, deemed the current disbursement of funds to Governor Siminalayi Fubara as “a constitutional somersault and aberration” and ordered a halt to these transactions.

The ruling stems from a suit filed by the Rivers State House of Assembly and its factional Speaker, Martin Amaewhule, who sought to block allocations meant for local governments in the state.

The court found that Governor Fubara’s actions in presenting the 2024 budget before a four-member House of Assembly, deemed unconstitutional, constituted a violation of the 1999 Constitution.

Justice Abdulmalik further ruled that Fubara’s implementation of an allegedly unlawful budget constitutes “gross violations” of the very constitution he swore to uphold.

As a result, the CBN, the Accountant General of the Federation, Zenith Bank, and Access Bank are prohibited from facilitating Fubara’s access to funds from the Consolidated Revenue and Federation Account.

The ruling has significant implications for the administration of Rivers State, as it effectively freezes the state government’s access to federal allocations.

The court’s decision is expected to be met with strong reactions from both sides, with the governor’s camp likely to appeal the ruling.

The ongoing legal battle between the governor and the state assembly is expected to continue with implications for the political landscape of the state.