The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja on Friday reserved judgment in a suit filed by the Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, challenging a ruling that prevented the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) from releasing monthly allocations to the state......See Full Story>>.....See Full Story>>
Recall that Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court, Abuja, while delivering judgment on October 30 in a suit filed by a factional Rivers State House of Assembly, led by RT Hon Martin Amaehwule, barred the CBN from releasing allocations to Rivers State.
She faulted Governor Siminalayi Fubara for presenting the state’s appropriation bill before a four-member assembly led by RT Hon Edison Ehie and ordered him re-present the 2024 budget proposal to the Amaewhule-led faction of the assembly, before he can access federal allocations.
Justice Abdulmalik held that Fubara’s appropriation of funds without presenting the budget to the state’s House of Assembly is unlawful and restrained the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) from allowing the state to draw funds from the consolidated revenue account.
At Friday’s proceedings, the three-member special panel of the appellate court reserved judgment in the case following the adoption of the parties’ submissions.
Fubara, in his appeal, urged the Justice Hamma Barka-led panel to overturn the lower court’s judgment, arguing for the vacating of the order barring state allocations.
The panel also consolidated five other appeals arising from the original high court decision, identified as CA/ABJ/CV/1277/24, CA/ABJ/CV/1196/24, CA/ABJ/CV/1287/24, CA/ABJ/CV/1293/24, and CA/ABJ/CV/1360/2024.
Justice Barka subsequently reserved judgment to a date which would be communicated to the parties.