A coalition of opposition lawmakers in Nigeria has strongly rejected a recent judgment by the Federal High Court in Abuja that ordered the seizure of statutory allocations to Rivers State. The judgment, delivered by Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, barred the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) from disbursing further monthly financial allocations to the Rivers State Government.
The opposition lawmakers described the judgment as an invitation to anarchy and a height of judicial rascality. They argued that the decision is unconstitutional and violates the principles of federalism and the rights of the people of Rivers State to receive their due allocations from the federal government.
Justice Abdulmalik’s ruling was based on the premise that the presentation of the 2024 budget by Governor Siminalayi Fubara before a four-member Rivers House of Assembly was a violation of constitutional provisions. She held that the receipt and disbursement of monthly allocations since January this year by Fubara were unconstitutional and amounted to gross violations of the 1999 Constitution.
The opposition lawmakers have vowed to challenge the judgment, emphasizing that it undermines the democratic process and the rule of law. They called for immediate intervention to reverse the decision and ensure that Rivers State receives its rightful allocations without any hindrance.
