The Federal Government has refuted claims that it has ceased disbursing funds to Rivers State.
This follows reports from the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF) which had earlier announced the suspension of October’s revenue payment to the state, citing a Federal High Court ruling.
Bawa Mokwa, spokesperson for the OAGF, clarified that while the distribution of October’s FAAC (Federation Account Allocation Committee) funds has not yet occurred, the government is committed to adhering to the court’s directive unless another ruling states otherwise.
He assured that the process of allocating the October 2024 funds is still underway and that the government will comply with all legal orders.
This development is part of the ongoing political dispute between Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara and Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike.
Mokwa later reiterated in a statement that the disbursement of October allocations to states, including Rivers, continues as normal, owing to an appeal currently in effect which allows Rivers to receive funds despite the court’s ruling.
Meanwhile, the Court of Appeal in Abuja reserved its judgment on five separate appeals related to the political crisis in Rivers State.
One of these appeals challenges the Federal High Court’s ruling that prohibited the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) from releasing federal allocations to Rivers State.
The presiding judge, Justice Hamma Barka, indicated that the court would announce its decision after reviewing the appeals.
These appeals arose from judgments in two separate cases, one concerning the validity of the budget passed by Rivers State’s four-member House of Assembly and the other regarding the governor’s authority to access funds from the Federation Account.
On October 30, 2024, the Federal High Court ruled that Governor Fubara’s actions in implementing a budget without approval from a legitimate legislative body violated the Constitution.
The court further barred the CBN and other financial institutions from releasing any funds to the Rivers State government until the budget was properly approved by the state’s lawful House of Assembly.
The legal challenges continue, with the Rivers State House of Assembly and Speaker Martin Chike Amaewhule filing the suit against the government, CBN, and various other entities, including the Accountant General of the Federation.