Supreme Court Judgement: “Why Administrator Ibas May Get Witheld Rivers Allocation,” FG Speaks

Supreme Court Judgement: “Why Administrator Ibas May Get Witheld Rivers Allocation,” FG Speaks

  • The federal government has stated that Rivers State’s allocation will be disbursed to the newly appointed administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok Ibas (retd), upon his resumption of office
  • The Supreme Court had previously withheld the state’s allocation due to the crisis and lack of proper appropriation by the State House of Assembly
  • Attorney-General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, confirmed this on Wednesday and explained why President Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency was necessary

Legit.ng journalist Esther Odili has over two years of experience covering political parties and movements.

State House, Abuja - The federal government led by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, on Wednesday, March 19, said that the allocation for Rivers state will be released to the Administrator of the State, Vice Admiral Ibok Ibas (retd) when he resumes office.

FG explains why Ibas will get state allocation

Rivers crisis: Reason Ibas may get witheld state allocation emerges
FG explains why Rivers sole administrator Ibas may get the witheld state allocation. Photo credit: @DOlusegun
Source: Twitter

Following the crisis in the state, the Supreme Court had withheld the state allocation until the State House Assembly properly appropriated the funds for usage.

Read also

Full text: AGF Fagbemi explains why Tinubu declared state of emergency in Rivers

However, on Tuesday, March 18, President Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers, suspending the state Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy and members of the House of Assembly.

AGF clarifies Tinubu's action in Rivers state

AGF backs Tinubu's declaration of state of emergence in Rivers state.
AGF Fagbemi says it’s in order to release blocked allocation to Rivers administrator. Photo credit: Lateef Fagbemi
Source: Facebook

As reported by Daily Trust, the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, while briefing State House correspondents at the presidential Villa, Abuja on Wednesday, said the funds could be released if the administrator requests it.

The minister said :

“If the administrator requests it, I will say it should be released to him.
“And to me, it will be in order for the release of that fund because the event of the extraordinary situation has brought them out of the normal situation of things.”

He also criticized those that said the President should have intervened in other forms instead of emergency, saying:

"I think the President has acted timeously. He has given the opportunity to all the parties involved to make amends. Before then, he had to assemble them, he had tried to mediate."

Read also

Breaking: Senate postpones debate on state of emergency in Rivers, reason emerges

Read more about Rivers crisis here:

Fubara's suspension: Why Wike is not to be blamed

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Lateef Fagbemi, the minister of justice and attorney-general of the federation (AGF), on Wednesday, March 19, absolved Nyesom Wike of any wrongdoing in the protracted political crisis in Rivers state.

Legit.ng reports that Wike, the minister of the federal capital territory (FCT), has been engaged in a protracted political battle with his former mentee, Siminalayi Fubara, the now-suspended governor.

Speaking to the press in Abuja, Fagbemi clarified that Wike, the immediate past governor of Rivers state, played no role in the political crisis that led to the state of emergency declaration by President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday, March 18.

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Source: Legit.ng

Authors:
Esther Odili avatar

Esther Odili (Politics and Current Affairs Editor) Esther Odili is a journalist and a Politics/Current Affairs Editor at Legit.ng with 6+ years of experience. She Holds OND and HND in Mass Communication from the Nigerian Institue of Journalism (NIJ), where she was recognized as the best student in print journalism in 2018. Before joining Legit.ng, Esther has worked with other reputable media houses, such as the New Telegraph newspaper and Galaxy Television. In 2024, Esther obtained a certificate in advanced digital reporting from the Google News Initiative. Email: esther.odili@corp.legit.ng.