Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara urges the Court of Appeal to overturn a Federal High Court ruling barring the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) from disbursing allocations due to a disputed 2024 budget presentation. The court has reserved its judgment following appeals and arguments from opposing factions.
Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State has appealed to the Court of Appeal to overturn an order stopping the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) from disbursing financial allocations to the state. The order, issued by a Federal High Court in Abuja on October 30, stemmed from a lawsuit by a faction of the Rivers State House of Assembly led by Martins Amaewhule. The court ruled that financial allocations could not be released without the passage of a valid appropriation act by a properly constituted assembly.
The controversy arose after Governor Fubara presented the state’s 2024 budget proposal, amounting to ₦800 billion, to a five-member faction of the assembly at the government house in Port Harcourt. The lower court deemed the assembly improperly constituted and faulted the budget presentation.
During the appeal hearing, Yusuf Ali, counsel to Fubara, argued that the high court’s ruling was made in bad faith and should be set aside. Meanwhile, J.B. Dauda, representing the Amaewhule-led faction, urged the appellate court to uphold the initial judgment.
On Thursday, a three-member appellate court panel led by Justice Hamma Barka consolidated multiple appeals related to the case. After listening to all parties on Friday, the court reserved its judgment, promising to communicate the date to the parties involved.
