The Supreme Court orders Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to stop release of funds to Rivers State government forthwith until a proper House of Assembly is constituted.
The court also ordered Martin Amaewhule to resume sitting immediately with all elected members.
The Supreme Court has ruled that its order will remain in effect until a properly constituted House of Assembly is established in Rivers State.
Naija News reports that the apex court also barred the Accountant General of the Federation and other government agencies from disbursing funds to the Rivers State government until it complies with previous court rulings.
In a judgment delivered by Justice Emmanuel Akomaye, the five-member panel unanimously dismissed a cross-appeal filed by Governor Siminalayi Fubara, which challenged the legitimacy of the House of Assembly led by Speaker Martin Amaewhule.
The court ordered Amaewhule to resume sitting immediately alongside other elected members of the Rivers State House of Assembly. It criticized Governor Fubara for presenting the 2024 appropriation bill before a four-member Assembly, stating that the move denied 28 constituencies proper representation and violated an earlier court directive requiring him to present the budget before a validly constituted Assembly under Amaewhule’s leadership.
The court further condemned Fubara’s actions regarding the alleged defection of 28 lawmakers, describing them as acts of political intimidation and dictatorship aimed at preventing the legislature from functioning.
Additionally, the court ruled that the demolition of the Rivers State House of Assembly complex under Fubara’s directive was an abuse of executive power intended to obstruct legislative proceedings.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court on Friday, declared the Rivers State Local Government elections held on October 5, 2024, invalid.
A five-member panel of the Supreme Court, in a judgment delivered by Justice Jamilu Tukur, ruled that the conduct of the local government polls in the state was null and void.
In its decision, the apex court set aside the judgment of the Court of Appeal, which had overturned the trial court’s ruling on the grounds of lack of jurisdiction. The Supreme Court consequently restored the decision of the Federal High Court.
It will be recalled that Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja had earlier restrained the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission from proceeding with the local government elections, citing the need for an updated voter register before the polls could be conducted.
The trial court further ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission to release the updated voter register to the Rivers electoral commission to facilitate the election.
Additionally, the court barred the police, the Department of State Services, and other security agencies from providing security for voters during the election.
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