Apex Court stops CBN from releasing funds to Rivers govt

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the Accountant General of the Federation, and other organizations are prohibited by the Supreme Court from disbursing monies to the Rivers State government unless they rid themselves of what the court characterizes as egregious disregard for court orders.

The court’s five-member panel unanimously rejected Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s cross-appeal contesting the legitimacy of the House of Assembly, which was presided over by Speaker Martin Amaewhule, in a one-hour, thirty-six-minute ruling issued by Justice Emmanuel Akomaye.

The Supreme Court had dismissed every local government chairperson by the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission in the October 2024 election.

Martin Amaewhule was ordered by the court to immediately resume sitting with other elected members of the Rivers State House of Assembly after dismissing Governor Fubara’s appeal.

In violation of a court order requiring him to re-present the 2024 appropriation bill before a legitimately constituted Assembly led by Amaewhule, the court ruled that Governor Fubara’s alleged presentation of an appropriation bill before a four-member House of Assembly was abnormal, depriving twenty-eight constituencies of effective representation.

The Supreme Court further ruled that Governor Fubara’s activities regarding the purported defection of twenty-eight members of the Rivers Assembly constituted brigandage and dictatorship, with the intention of impeding the House’s ability to carry out its lawful duties under Speaker Amaewhule.

The court also noted that the demolition of the Rivers State House of Assembly Complex by Governor Fubara is abuse of executive might to hinder the sitting of the Assembly led by Amaewhule.