The Supreme Court has reinstated a judgment blocking the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Accountant General of the Federation from releasing statutory monthly allocations to Rivers State.
The court’s decision was prompted by Governor Siminalaye Fubara’s refusal to re-present the 2024 Appropriation Bill to the Hon. Martins Amaewhule-led faction of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
In its ruling, the Supreme Court faulted the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal for vacating the initial order that stopped the release of funds to Rivers State from the consolidated revenue.
The court recognized the 27 lawmakers who allegedly defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) as valid members of the Rivers Assembly, pending the final determination of their status.
The Supreme Court also rejected Governor Fubara’s argument that he had to invoke the doctrine of necessity by presenting the Appropriation Bill to the only five remaining members of the Assembly.
