Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has reacted to the Federal High Court’s ruling that barred the Central Bank of Nigeria from releasing monthly financial allocations to the state.
Dockaysworld reports that Justice Joyce Abdulmalik in her judgement on Wednesday found that Governor Fubara’s presentation of the 2024 budget to a four-member House of Assembly breached constitutional protocol.
The judge contended that the governor’s actions ignored constitutional requirements for budget approval by a fully constituted House of Assembly.
She restricted the CBN, the Accountant General of the Federation, and the state’s accounts at Zenith Bank and Access Bank from releasing any funds to Fubara.
Reacting to the development, Fubara said the decision of the court is “the least” of his problems.
He revealed this during a special thanksgiving service organised by the state government to celebrate his administration’s resilience amid escalating political crises, which began with the arson attack on the State House of Assembly complex exactly one year ago.
Governor Fubara assured that despite the court order, his administration would continue payments to contractors and ensure workers’ salaries are disbursed from tomorrow.
He also confirmed that allocations for the 23 Council Chairmen would be credited, as the Joint Accounts Allocation Committee (JAAC) procedures have been completed.
The governor encouraged his supporters to remain resilient, assuring them that all challenges are surmountable.
Reflecting on his administration’s success, Governor Fubara noted that despite predictions that his government would not last even a week, he has successfully led for over a year.
He said his administration has also conducted local government elections against all odds and maintained a full cabinet despite attempts to undermine his leadership through resignations.
Meanwhile, the Rivers State Government on Wednesday appealed the Federal High Court, Abuja’s judgment which retrained the Central Bank of Nigeria from further releasing allocations from the federation account to the state.
The state’s Commissioner for Information and Communications, Joseph Johnson, said: “We saw this judgment coming the way it did when the trial judge refused 23 council chairmen as joinders, refused the state to change their lawyer and refused our objection challenging jurisdiction of the federal high court.
“The judgment has already been appealed and l believe that the Court of Appeal will upturn the judgment. We are not panicked and there is no cause for alarm.”
