Rivers State to Receive Federal Allocation Despite Ongoing Legal Dispute

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The Federal Government has confirmed that Rivers State will continue to receive its federal allocations, despite a pending legal dispute challenging the disbursement of funds.

Bawa Mokwa, Director of Press and Public Relations at the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation (OAGF), clarified on Friday that a notice of appeal filed by the Rivers State government has effectively suspended the earlier judgment barring the release of allocations.

“Since there is a notice of appeal, it has overridden the earlier court judgment. As a matter of law, Rivers State will be paid while the appeal is ongoing,” Mokwa stated.

Legal Background

On October 30, 2024, the Federal High Court in Abuja issued a ruling barring the Federal Government and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) from releasing monthly allocations to Rivers State. The judgment followed a suit filed by the Martins Amaewhule-led faction of the Rivers State House of Assembly. Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, who presided over the case, restrained Rivers State from accessing funds from the consolidated revenue account.

The Rivers State government and Governor Siminalayi Fubara, however, have appealed the ruling. On Friday, the governor’s legal team, led by Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Yusuf Ali, urged the Court of Appeal to set aside the High Court’s judgment, arguing that the decision was made in bad faith and without merit.

Appeals Consolidated

The Court of Appeal, led by Justice Hamma Barka, has consolidated five related appeals arising from the same judgment. Governor Fubara, the Rivers State government, the Accountant-General of Rivers State, and Zenith Bank Plc are among the appellants challenging the Federal High Court’s decision.

The appeals include cases marked:

CA/ABJ/CV/1277/24

CA/ABJ/CV/1196/24

CA/ABJ/CV/1287/24

CA/ABJ/CV/1293/24

CA/ABJ/CV/1360/2024


Ongoing Compliance

While the legal battle continues, Mokwa emphasized the Federal Government’s commitment to upholding the rule of law. He noted that the OAGF will continue disbursing funds to Rivers State in line with the notice of appeal filed by the state 

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