The Nigerian government has suspended the October 2024 FAAC revenue payment to Rivers State amid a political dispute between Governor Simi Fubara and Minister Nyesom Wike. The move follows a court order barring the Central Bank of Nigeria and federal authorities from disbursing funds to the state.
The Nigerian government has suspended the October 2024 Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) revenue payment to Rivers State amidst an ongoing political dispute between Governor Simi Fubara and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
Bawa Mokwa, spokesperson for the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF), confirmed the halt in payments to Rivers State, following a court order that prohibited the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the federal government from disbursing funds to the state. Mokwa stated that the OAGF would respect the court’s directive and had not yet distributed the October FAAC revenue.
The controversy stems from a legal dispute initiated by the factional Rivers State Assembly led by Martin Amaewhule, which is supported by Wike. The faction filed a case arguing that the Fubara-led executive had failed to comply with a previous court order requiring the presentation of the 2024 appropriation bill to their faction. The court ruling, issued on October 30, temporarily barred the release of funds to Rivers State until the matter is resolved.
This move intensifies the political rift between Fubara and Wike, who fell out after Fubara’s election as governor. Tensions have been high between the two, with Wike’s faction backing the Amaewhule-led assembly. The suspension of the FAAC revenue is another significant chapter in the ongoing power struggle within Rivers State.
