“Rivers Will Receive Federal Allocation Despite Legal Battle” – FG Clarifies

The Federal Government has clarified that Rivers State will not be denied its monthly allocation despite the ongoing legal battle over the state’s finances. Speaking on Friday, Bawa Mokwa, Director of Press and Public Relations at the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF), confirmed that the government would adhere to legal processes and release the funds.

Mokwa explained that a notice of appeal has been filed, which effectively overrides the earlier Federal High Court judgment that barred the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) from releasing funds to the state. “Since there is a notice of appeal, it has overridden the earlier court judgment. Rivers will be paid,” Mokwa stated, according to The Punch.

This development follows an October 30 ruling by Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court in Abuja, which prohibited the federal government from disbursing funds to Rivers State. The ruling came after a suit filed by the Martin Amaewhule-led faction of the Rivers State House of Assembly, citing non-compliance with a directive to re-submit the 2024 budget to the faction.

In response, Governor Siminalayi Fubara has taken steps to challenge the high court’s decision. On Friday, his legal team, led by Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Yusuf Ali, urged the Court of Appeal in Abuja to overturn the lower court’s judgment. Fubara argued that the Federal High Court’s orders were issued in bad faith and called on the appellate court to nullify them.

The appeal panel, led by Justice Hamma Barka, consolidated five related cases, including appeals by the Rivers State Government, the Accountant-General of Rivers State, and Zenith Bank Plc. The appeals challenge various aspects of the Federal High Court’s ruling, which has fueled political tension in the state.