The Supreme Court has ordered a temporary blockade of Rivers State Funds until a properly-constituted State House of Assembly, as required by the 1999 Constitution, is put in place.
In a ruling delivered on Friday, the apex court directed the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, to withhold funds from the Rivers State Government until the legislative impasse is resolved.
The court also upheld the legitimacy of the faction led by Speaker Martins Amaewhule, recognizing it as the duly constituted Rivers State House of Assembly.
Supreme Court’s decision marks a legal victory for the Amaewhule-led lawmakers, who have been locked in a prolonged political dispute with Governor Siminalayi Fubara over control of the legislature.
It however has significant implications for the state’s governance, effectively cutting off Rivers State from its statutory allocations and other financial entitlements.
It is expected that the ruling could escalate tensions between the executive and legislative arms, following the emergence of rival factions within the Assembly after a wave of defections by lawmakers.
Recall that Rivers State Assembly crisis stems from a political rift between Governor Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, now Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT.
The fallout between the two political heavyweights led to a division within the Assembly, sparking a constitutional dispute over its composition and leadership.
While Governor Fubara’s allies have contested the legitimacy of the 27 lawmakers aligned with Speaker Amaewhule, the Supreme Court’s ruling effectively settles the matter in their favor.
With the court’s decision imposing a financial blockade on the state, the Fubara administration faces immediate challenges in governance.
