There was jubilation in the camp of the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Martin Amawhule, and loyalists of FCT minister Nyesom Wike following the barring of federal allocations to Rivers State.
Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Wednesday stopped the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) from further releasing monthly financial allocations to the Rivers State Government.
The court ruled that Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s presentation of the 2024 budget to a four-member Rivers House of Assembly violated constitutional provisions.
She called Fubara’s receipt and disbursement of monthly appropriations since January of this year a constitutional offence and aberration that cannot be tolerated.
Justice Abdulmalik further ruled that Fubara’s actions in executing an illegal budget constituted gross violations of the 1999 Constitution, which he promised to safeguard.
She then directed the CBN, the Accountant General of the Federation, Zenith Bank, and Access Bank to prevent Fubara from further accessing funds from the Consolidated Revenue and Federation Account.
Chibuike Ikenga, the publicity secretary of the Okocha-led APC, praised the decision, saying it strengthened the rule of law.
Ikenga stated that prior to the most recent judgement, the Court of Appeal had already ruled, as verified by Justice Omotosho, that the Governor of Rivers State should re-present the state’s 2024 budget to the lawfully constituted Rivers State House of Assembly led by Martin Amaewhule.
“But the Governor has blatantly refused to do so,” he said. “It was on the basis of his refusal to obey that court judgement that the House of Assembly, under Martin Amaewhule, went further to approach the court to take further decisions in line with the enforcement of the Court of Appeal judgement withholding the release of allocation to the Rivers State Government.”
Speaking on what the implication is for the state, he replied, “What the court has done is that it is enhancing the rule of law; you know, compliance and obedience to the rule of law. You must obey laws if we want peace, tranquillity, and development to thrive in our society. So, it is a good development.”
However, a member of the Rivers State Elders Council and pioneer spokesman of the Pan Niger Delta Forum, Chief Anabs Sara-Igbe, said the judiciary had a moral burden to redeem its image.
He said, “The judge, from the way she conducted herself in the proceedings, it was obvious that she had made up her mind to give judgement when she refused to follow the judicial process. All she wanted was to give judgement, and she has given the judgement.
“But this is not the final judgment. The case will be appealed appropriately. But it is very obvious that the judiciary is becoming cash and carry. So, the judiciary has a very big task to redeem its image because the judiciary has battered itself to the point that people no longer have confidence in the judiciary.”
