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MOSOP condemns court ruling over allocations
A Federal High Court in Abuja has prohibited the Federal Government from releasing monthly allocations to Rivers State, with Justice Joyce Abdulmalik ordering the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to prevent the state from accessing funds from the Consolidated Revenue Account.
The Rivers State government has characterized this ruling as a premeditated act. In response, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar urged the judiciary to avoid actions that could destabilize Rivers State following the court’s decision.
The Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) condemned the court’s ruling, arguing that criminalizing Rivers State is not within the judiciary’s legitimate role. The ruling stems from a suit initiated by the Martins Amaewhule-led faction of the Rivers State House of Assembly, which includes members who defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
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The plaintiffs sought to halt all federal allocations to Rivers State, claiming Governor Fubara had not complied with a court order requiring him to present the 2024 Appropriation Bill to the Amaewhule faction. They cited previous court decisions affirming Amaewhule as the legitimate Speaker of the Assembly and invalidating the 2024 budget presented to a smaller faction.
In reaction, State Commissioner for Information Joe Johnson stated that the government had appealed the ruling and remained unfazed by it. He expressed confidence that the Court of Appeal would overturn the judgment.
Atiku criticized the judiciary for issuing the order despite ongoing appeals regarding the legality of Rivers State’s budget. He expressed concerns over judicial integrity and the potential destabilization of democracy in Nigeria, especially in light of conflicting court orders.
MOSOP President Fegalo Nsuke argued that denying people their legitimate source of income is unjust and could provoke resistance from the Rivers community. He emphasized that the stability of Rivers State is crucial to Nigeria’s overall economic health and urged respect for ongoing legal proceedings.
Chief Anabs Sara-Igbe, from the South-South Elders Forum, described the court’s decision as a threat to democracy, citing perceived bias within the judiciary. He called for urgent reforms to restore public confidence in the judicial system.
Meanwhile, Governor Fubara reflected on his administration’s resilience at a Thanksgiving event, highlighting the support from Rivers residents. He reiterated his commitment to transparency and accountability in governance, framing the challenges posed by his detractors as attempts to undermine the state’s progress.
