By Enyichukwu Enemanna
A Federal High Court in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital has ordered the central bank to stop further release of monthly financial allocations to the oil-rich Rivers State, arising from the political crisis between the governor, Siminalayi Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike the Minister of Federal Capital Territory.
The presiding judge, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik held that the disbursement of monthly allocations by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) since January this year to the Rivers State government is a breach of the Constitution and an aberration that must not be allowed to continue.
The judge held that the presentation of the 2024 budget by Fubara before a four-member Rivers House of Assembly was an affront to the constitutional provision.
Justice Abdulmalik specifically said that the governor’s action was a gross violation of the 1999 Constitution.
The judge subsequently restrained the Central Bank of Nigeria, the Accountant General of the Federation, Zenith Bank and Access Bank from further allowing Fubara to access money from the Consolidated Revenue and Federation Account.
Heritage Times HT reports that shortly after taking over power as Governor of Rivers State in 2023, Fubara fell out with his political godfather, Nyesom Wike over matters the former said bordered on the resources of the state.
The disagreement led to an impeachment attempt on the governor by the Rivers State House of Assembly dominated by loyalists of Wike, an opposition figure serving as a Minister in the APC-led government at the national level.
The Assembly later factionalised between loyalists of Wike and Governor Fubara.
Fubara in December last year presented the 2024 Appropriation Bill to five members of the state House of Assembly loyal to him, a presentation that took place after he was alleged to have ordered the demolition of the House of Assembly Complex where the pro-Wike lawmakers met.
The 27 members of the House loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, were not present at the sitting.
The appropriation bill as scrutinized by the 5-man House of Assembly was later passed.
Fubara had argued that the 27 members have lost their membership of the Assembly after defecting from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to All Progressives Congress (APC).
The legitimacy of their membership is yet to be decided by the court on the ground of their defection to APC.
