Breaking: Supreme Court Gives Final Verdict On CBN Stopping Rivers Allocation, Details Emerge

The Supreme Court has upheld the judgment of the Federal High Court in Abuja that barred the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Accountant General of the Federation from releasing the Rivers state monthly allocations to Governor Siminalayi Fubara.

In its judgment on Friday, February 28, the Supreme Court ordered that Martins Amaewhule-led faction of the Rivers State House of Assembly and other elected lawmakers in the assembly should immediately resume sittings and without hindrance.

The Apex Court faulted the judgment of the Court of Appeal in Abuja that dismissed the initial order of the High Court that stopped the release of funds to Rivers state from the consolidated revenue after Governor Fubara refused to represent the 2024 Appropriation Bill before the Amaewhule-led faction of the Rivers State House of Assembly.

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The Supreme Court ruled that the Federal High Court in Abuja had the jurisdiction to hear the suit filed by the Amaewhule-led 27 lawmakers who were loyal to the immediate past governor of the state and current minister of the Federal Capital, Nyesom Wike. The suit was challenging the withdrawal and expenditure of the state's fund by Governor Fubara without the assembly approval.

Justice Emmanuel Agim, who read the lead judgment of the five-member panel, held that the Court of Appeal misread the core issue in the dispute when it associated it with consolidated revenue of Rivers state alone.

According to the apex court, such a wrong view made the Court of Appeal rule that the Federal High Court did not have the jurisdiction to hear the suit. It maintained that the case was about the refusal of Governor Fubara to obey an existing court order which mandated him to represent the 2024 appropriation bill before the valid lawmakers.

The judge then ruled that the 27 lawmakers who allegedly dumped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the All Progressives Congress (APC) remained valid members of the House until the court determines their final status.

Governor Fubara's claim that he invoked the doctrine of necessity by presenting the Appropriation Bill to four lawmakers in the assembly because of the defection of the lawmakers was dismissed by the court. It stated that illegal action can't be justified with the doctrine of necessity.

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