In a landmark ruling, the Supreme Court on Friday reinstated its earlier order preventing the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Accountant General of the Federation from disbursing statutory monthly allocations to Rivers State.
The apex court also directed the faction of the Rivers State House of Assembly led by Hon. Martins Amaewhule to immediately resume legislative activities without interference.
The ruling overturns a decision by the Court of Appeal, which had lifted the initial ban on fund disbursement after Governor Siminalayi Fubara refused to re-present the 2024 Appropriation Bill before the Amaewhule-led faction of the Assembly.
Delivering the lead judgment, Justice Emmanuel Agim faulted the appellate court’s reasoning, stating that the Federal High Court in Abuja had full jurisdiction to hear the case filed by the 27 lawmakers challenging the state government’s spending of public funds without legislative approval.
The Supreme Court maintained that despite their alleged defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC), the 27 lawmakers remain legally recognized members of the Rivers Assembly until a final verdict is reached on their status.
Governor Fubara’s justification for bypassing the lawmakers and presenting the budget to only five remaining members of the Assembly was dismissed, with the court ruling that the “doctrine of necessity” could not be used to validate illegal actions.
Condemning the governor’s approach as an attempt to destabilize the government out of fear of impeachment, the Supreme Court ordered him to pay N5 million in legal costs.
This decision marks a major turning point in the ongoing political crisis in Rivers State, setting the stage for a renewed power struggle between the governor and the lawmakers.
