Contrary to reports on some online platforms on Friday, the Federal Government has not halted the disbursement of funds to Rivers State.
Bawa Mokwa, Director of Press in the office of the Accountant General of the Federation told the Tribune that, “disbursement of October allocation to states and local governments by FAAC is ongoing”.
He explained that, “Rivers State will benefit because of a subsisting appeal/stay of execution order.”
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The Court of Appeal, Abuja Division, has reserved its judgments in five separate appeals related to the political crisis within the Rivers State government.
These appeals stem from the decisions of a Federal High Court in Abuja.
One of the appeals challenges a ruling from the High Court that barred the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) from releasing federal allocations to Rivers State.
The presiding judge, Justice Hamma Barka, announced that the judgments would be delivered on a later date, which would be communicated to the involved parties after their respective counsel had adopted all the filed processes.
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Previously, on October 30, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court in Abuja had ruled to stop the CBN from further releasing monthly financial allocations to the Rivers State government.
In her judgment, Justice Abdulmalik stated that the receipt and disbursement of monthly allocations by Governor Fubara since January of the current year was unconstitutional and a significant violation of legal norms, which could not be allowed to persist.
Justice Abdulmalik issued this order in a suit filed by the Rivers State House of Assembly, represented by its Speaker, Rt. Hon. Martin Chike Amaewhule.
The judge determined that Governor Fubara’s presentation of the 2024 budget before a four-member Rivers State House of Assembly violated constitutional provisions.
She further ruled that Fubara’s actions in executing an unlawful budget were gross violations of the 1999 Constitution, which he had sworn to uphold.
As a result, the court restrained the CBN, the Accountant General of the Federation, Zenith Bank, and Access Bank from allowing Fubara to access funds from the Consolidated Revenue and Federation Accounts.
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