The Court of Appeal in Abuja has overturned a federal high court ruling that barred the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Accountant General of the Federation from disbursing funds to the Rivers State Government.
The earlier judgment, delivered on October 30 by Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court, had stopped the release of monthly financial allocations, citing constitutional violations in the presentation of Rivers State’s 2024 budget by Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
Justice Abdulmalik ruled that the appropriation bill was presented to an illegitimate Rivers House of Assembly, rendering it unlawful.
However, a three-member panel of the appellate court, led by Justice Hamman Barka, ruled on Friday that the federal high court lacked jurisdiction to handle the case. The appellate court stated that issues related to state appropriations fall outside the jurisdiction of the federal high court, even when federal agencies are listed as parties.
In its judgment, the appellate court set aside all orders made by the lower court, calling them unconstitutional. It ruled that the Rivers State Government could not be restricted from receiving its lawful allocations from the consolidated revenue fund.
The court held that the high court had overstepped its authority, affirming the Rivers State Government’s right to access its funds.