Rivers Allocation: Lawyer Mentions What Should Be Done Urgently

• The Federal High Court judgment stopping the CBN from releasing the Rivers state allocation has continued to be criticised
• Bisi Afolabi, a legal practitioner who spoke with Legit.ng, said the judgment is an avenue to count scores in the political infighting in Rivers
• The legal practitioner then expressed optimism that the appeal of the judgment by the Rivers state government would result in fair judgment considering the political crisis in the state

A legal practitioner, Bisi Afolabi, condemned the Federal High Court ruling on October 30, 2024, directing the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to withhold further monthly allocations to Rivers State, but the lawyer maintained that the court judgment had been deployed to count scores in the political infighting in Rivers politics.

The court's decision was based on Governor Siminalayi Fubara's unconstitutional presentation of the 2024 budget to a four-member House of Assembly. This has raised questions about the legitimacy of the State House of Assembly's composition and its authority to approve budgets.

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According to Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, who delivered the judgment, the allocations received and spent by the state since January 2024 were based on an illegitimate budget, which she described as a "constitutional aberration."

Rivers appeals judgment stopping its allocation

The Rivers State government has appealed the decision, prompting the federal government to insist that the allocation be paid until the end of the legal tussle. In an exclusive interview with Legit.ng, Afolabi said he was glad with the appeal and expressed optimism that the political manoeuvring would be stamped out of the judiciary.

He said:

"It is unfortunate that the judiciary has been dragged into party infighting, where Court orders, which are otherwise sanitous declarations, are now deployed by warring parties as a means of counting political scores.

"The order stopping the Federal Revenue and Fiscal Allocation Commission from remitting the statutory allocation to the Rivers State people is unconstitutional and uncalled for. However, I am happy that the parties have appealed this ruling to the Court of Appeal. We need to stamp this political maneuvering out of our hallowed temple of justice."

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NJC sacks Rivers, Anambra judges

Legit.ng earlier reported that the NJC has announced the suspension of Justice G. C. Aguma of the High Court of Rivers State and Justice A. O. Nwabunike of the Anambra State High Court.

In addition to being suspended for one year without pay, the duo was placed on a watch list for another two years.

The council also recommended compulsory retirement for judges in Imo and Yobe for falsification of their ages.

Source: Legit.ng