Gov Fubara downplays court’s order stopping Rivers allocation

Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, on Wednesday, downplayed the Federal High Court’s decision preventing the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) from releasing monthly allocations to the state.

The governor explained that his handling of the crisis, guided by President Bola Tinubu’s intervention, may have inadvertently given leverage to his political opponents. While Fubara stands by his commitment to peace, he acknowledged that this decision may have strengthened opposition forces.

The Federal High Court in Abuja, led by Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, ruled on Wednesday to block the CBN from disbursing Rivers State’s monthly financial allocations. The court cited a constitutional breach, noting that the 2024 budget presentation involved only four members of the Rivers State House of Assembly.

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Justice Abdulmalik emphasized that the allocation releases authorized by Governor Fubara since January 2023 violated the 1999 Constitution.

During a thanksgiving service held to celebrate his administration’s perseverance amidst recent political challenges—including an October 29, 2023 arson attack on the State House of Assembly—Governor Fubara assured Rivers residents that payments to contractors and salaries to state employees would resume as scheduled, starting Thursday.

Fubara also confirmed that allocations designated for the 23 Council Chairmen would be released following the completion of the Joint Accounts Allocation Committee (JAAC) procedures.

The governor urged his supporters to remain steadfast, reinforcing that resilience can help overcome adversity.

Reflecting on his tenure, Fubara highlighted his administration’s achievements, including over a year in office, successful local government elections, and the continuity of a full cabinet despite attempts to destabilize his leadership. He emphasized ongoing projects and recent recognitions for the state in financial transparency and accountability.

Fubara also revisited an incident from October 30 last year, which he described as an assassination attempt, allegedly orchestrated by political adversaries following a legal withdrawal involving the Martin Amaewhule faction, a decision influenced by President Tinubu’s intervention.