Court bars monthly allocations to Rivers State govt

The Federal High Court in Abuja has issued a restraining order against the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), barring it from releasing monthly financial allocations to the Rivers State government. This unprecedented decision also affects the Accountant-General of the Federation, as well as Zenith Bank and Access Bank, where the Rivers government holds accounts. The court’s ruling was delivered on Wednesday in a case that casts a spotlight on fiscal compliance and constitutional adherence within state governance.

Presiding over the case, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik ruled that the receipt and disbursement of monthly allocations to Rivers State since January 2024 by Governor Siminalayi Fubara represented a “constitutional somersault and aberration.” The judge cited that Governor Fubara’s presentation of the 2024 budget to an incomplete four-member House of Assembly was a direct affront to Nigeria’s constitutional framework. She emphasized that actions contravening such critical legal provisions must not be allowed to continue unchecked.

Justice Abdulmalik criticized Governor Fubara’s actions, labeling them as gross violations of the 1999 Constitution, which he had sworn to uphold. She argued that the governor’s unilateral budgeting and spending practices compromised the principles of transparency and accountability in governance. According to the judge, these breaches demonstrated a disregard for established legal processes, further fueling concerns about executive overreach at the state level.

As a result of this ruling, the CBN, Accountant-General, and both Zenith and Access Banks are now prohibited from releasing funds from the Consolidated Revenue and Federation Account to Rivers State under Governor Fubara’s authority. This judgment is expected to have far-reaching implications for the financial operations of Rivers State and underscores the judiciary’s role in enforcing adherence to constitutional protocols in public finance.