The Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation (OAGF) has assured Rivers State that it will continue to receive its federal allocations pending the outcome of ongoing legal appeals.
This development comes amid heightened tension over a Federal High Court ruling that questioned the legitimacy of the state’s 2024 budget and legislative processes.
Bawa Mokwa, Director of Press and Public Relations at the OAGF, emphasised the government’s commitment to following legal directives.
Speaking to The PUNCH, Mokwa said, “We are going to obey court orders. Since there is a notice of appeal, the notice of appeal has overridden the earlier court judgment. So far, it is a court order that we will obey; if there is a notice of appeal, Rivers will be paid.”
The controversy stems from an October 30 ruling by Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court, which directed the Central Bank of Nigeria to withhold Rivers’ monthly allocations.
The court declared the 2024 budget, approved by a four-member faction of the Rivers State House of Assembly, as unconstitutional. Justice Abdulmalik labelled the actions of Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his allied legislators a “constitutional aberration” that violated Sections 91 and 96 of the 1999 Constitution.
The court also voided all decisions made by the four-member Assembly faction, citing prior rulings that annulled its legitimacy.
The judgment followed a suit by the Martin Amaewhule-led faction of the Assembly, which had earlier suspended state expenditures until the budget was resubmitted to a fully constituted legislature.
In response, the Rivers State Government filed a notice of appeal. Commissioner for Information and Communications Joseph Johnson expressed confidence in overturning the ruling, describing it as “unjust” and “destined for reversal.”
The OAGF’s assurance ensures the continued flow of funds to Rivers State, at least until the Court of Appeal provides a definitive ruling on the matter. This dispute highlights deep divisions within the state’s political landscape, with implications for governance and constitutional adherence.