Governor Fubara wins as Court rejects bid to freeze Rivers State Funds

The Federal High Court in Abuja declined to grant an ex parte motion seeking to bar Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, from accessing the state’s consolidated revenue fund.

The motion, labeled FHC/ABJ/CS/984/24, was filed by a faction of the Rivers State House of Assembly aligned with former Governor Nyesom Wike. Justice James Nwite instructed the plaintiffs to formally serve notice of the lawsuit to Governor Fubara and other defendants instead of granting immediate relief without their input.

The pro-Wike faction, led by Martin Amaewhule, had previously barred Fubara from spending from the state consolidated account, citing his refusal to present the 2024 budget afresh. In response, Fubara refused, arguing that the N800 billion budget had already been approved in January by the Assembly faction loyal to him.

He also claimed that the pro-Wike lawmakers had lost their legislative seats after defecting from the Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress.

READ ALSO: Rivers crisis: Pro-Wike assembly blocks Fubara from spending

Justice Nwite’s ruling maintains that Fubara should not be restricted from using state funds. The defendants in the suit include the Central Bank of Nigeria, Zenith Bank Plc, Access Bank PLC, the Accountant General of the Federation, Fubara, the Rivers State Accountant-General, the Rivers Independent Electoral Commission, the Chief Judge of Rivers State, Justice S.C. Amadi, the Chairperson of RSIEC, Adolphus Enebeli, and the Government of Rivers State.

The court granted the plaintiffs’ request to serve court papers on the defendants via substituted means, specifically by publication in the Nation newspapers. The matter has been adjourned to August 7 for the hearing of the Motion on Notice.

Meanwhile, the pro-Wike lawmakers have called for the arrest of caretakers appointed by Fubara to manage the 18 local government areas in the state. They argue that the use of caretakers violates a Supreme Court judgment upholding local government autonomy.

The lawmakers describe the caretakers as impostors and entities not recognized by law, urging the police and other security agencies to act against them.

The Speaker, Amaewhule, emphasized the illegality of caretakers withdrawing local government funds and urged immediate action to prevent a breakdown of law and order in Rivers State.