The Supreme Court has affirmed the judgment of a federal high court that prohibited Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and Accountant-General of the Federation (AGF) from releasing statutory monthly allocations to Rivers State.
Gatekeepers News reports that it also ordered the Martins Amaewhule-led faction of Rivers State House of Assembly and other elected members of the house to resume sitting.
The five-member panel of the apex court faulted Abuja court of appeal for voiding the judgment of federal high court.
The Federal high court had stopped the release of funds to Rivers after Siminalayi Fubara, the state Governor failed to re-present 2024 Appropriation Bill before Amaewhule-led assembly that is loyal to Wike.
Emmanuel Agim, who read the lead judgment, held that the 27 lawmakers alleged to have defected from Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to All Progressives Congress (APC) are still valid members of Rivers assembly, pending the final determination of the suit challenging their status.
The court held, “The members of the Rivers state House of Assembly who allegedly defected are still legitimate members of the house of assembly and have the power to conduct the business of the assembly.”
“Any other set of individuals purporting to be members of the Rivers state house of assembly led by any other person except Martins Amaewhule is a nullity and their actions null and void.”
“ By encouraging four out of the 32 members of the Rivers state house of assembly to continue to operate, the governor was operating using only 12.5% of the state assembly, which is illegal.”
“It is an act of indiscipline bordering on excessive use of power, and a joke taken too far which has no place in a democracy,” the judge said, citing the earlier ruling of the federal high court.”
“The Governor’s fear of impeachment is no justification for destroying a legitimate democratic institution.
“It is hereby ordered that the CBN and accountant-general of the federation should immediately cease releasing all funds, monies, revenue, accruing to the Rivers state government, pending the presentation and approval of a legitimate budget by Rivers state house of assembly led by Martins Amaewhule.”
The Supreme Court also imposed a N5 million fine on Governor Fubara.
