Nigeria
Rivers-CBN Allocation Case: Court Refuses Judge’s Withdrawal Request
The court has dismissed a withdrawal request from a judge presiding over the Rivers-CBN allocation case, ensuring the case continues under the current judicial authority. Learn more about the case developments.
Judge declines to recuse from the suit against CBN on funds allocated to Rivers LGAs, intensifying legal proceedings.
On Friday, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court in Abuja declined to step down from presiding over a case aiming to halt fund allocation to local governments in Rivers State.
The judge, who previously issued four rulings against certain defendants in the case, denied any bias toward any of the parties involved.
The Rivers State House of Assembly, along with its factional Speaker Martin Amaewhule, filed a lawsuit requesting that funds designated for local governments in the state be withheld.
The suit was submitted on their behalf by Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Joseph Daudu.
The Accountant General of Rivers State submitted a motion on notice, accusing Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of demonstrating bias against the state government and all other defendants involved in the lawsuit.
The Accountant General, represented by Tuturu Edem, SAN, criticized the judge’s manner of conducting the proceedings as unusual and beyond belief.
The CBN and all other defendants accepted the role of the Accountant General.
Nonetheless, in her decision, the judge stated she would not step down from the case and emphasized that she was not biased as claimed.
The judge also rejected the request to transfer jurisdiction and declined to let the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt take over the proceedings.
Justice Joyce Abdulmalik stated that the territorial jurisdiction of the Federal High Court extended nationwide.
The judge also determined that the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court has authority to allocate any case to a judge of their choosing.
She subsequently directed that the hearings for both the substantive matter and the preliminary objections should proceed.
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