The Federal Government assures that Rivers State will continue receiving federal allocations despite a court ruling barring further disbursements. With an appeal in process, the government is committed to complying with the court order. Governor Fubara is seeking to overturn the judgment through the Court of Appeal.
The Federal Government has clarified that Rivers State will continue to receive its federal allocation despite the ongoing legal battle. According to Bawa Mokwa, Director of Press and Public Relations at the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation (OAGF), the government will comply with the court's ruling but emphasized that the appeal process has overridden the initial judgment. As long as the appeal is in progress, Rivers will continue to receive its allocations.
The legal dispute began after the Federal High Court in Abuja issued a ruling on October 30, barring the Federal Government from releasing further monthly allocations to Rivers State. Justice Joyce Abdulmalik's judgment also prevented the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) from releasing funds to the state from the consolidated revenue account, following a lawsuit filed by the Hon. Martins Amaewhule-led faction of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
In response, Governor Siminalayi Fubara has urged the Court of Appeal in Abuja to overturn the high court's order. Governor Fubara’s legal team, led by Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Yusuf Ali, is seeking to nullify the earlier judgment, which they argue was issued in bad faith. The Court of Appeal, which has consolidated several other appeals related to the case, is expected to review the matter soon, while the state continues to receive federal allocations for now.
