Legal expert Odinkalu questions the recent ruling on Rivers State funds, citing a Supreme Court precedent from Lagos during Tinubu’s tenure. Learn about the implications of this challenge.
Professor Chidi Odinkalu, a renowned human rights advocate and lawyer, has voiced significant criticism of a Federal High Court decision that bars the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) from releasing funds to the Rivers State Government until a legitimate appropriation act is passed by an appropriately constituted House of Assembly.
It was reported earlier on Wednesday that Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court in Abuja issued a ruling regarding a case filed by Martin Amaewhule’s faction within the Rivers State House of Assembly, which is aligned with former Governor Nyesom Wike.
Justice Abdulmalik ruled that Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s decision to present the 2024 Appropriation Bill to a four-member assembly, which she considered improperly constituted, should be halted.
Consequently, the court order effectively stops any funds from being distributed to the Rivers State Government until necessary legislative actions are finalized. This means that the state’s financial operations will be on hold until a valid appropriation law is enacted by the House of Assembly.
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In a previous ruling, the Court of Appeal in Abuja confirmed Amaewhule as the rightful Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, rejecting Governor Fubara’s objection. This verdict remains valid even though lawmakers supportive of Wike switched allegiance from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC), which would normally result in them losing their seats.
In response to the judgment, Odinkalu, a former Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), criticized the ruling and labeled it as “tyranny of the #Outlaw.”
Odinkalu expressed his concerns on his X account, highlighting that this judgment is at odds with a Supreme Court decision from approximately 20 years ago. This earlier ruling involved the current President, Bola Tinubu, during his tenure as Governor of Lagos State.
He wrote: “Twenty years ago, when @officialABAT was the governor of @followlasg, the @SupremeCourtNg rejected an application to withhold allocations from the #FederationAccount intended for Lagos LGAs.”
“Today, a Federal High Court judge overruled the Supreme Court. This action undermines the #RuleOfLaw and reflects an abuse of power.”
