- Rivers State government reacts to Federal High Court ruling in Abuja.
- Ruling ordered cessation of local government allocations.
- State government anticipated ruling due to court process developments.
- Commissioner for Information, Joe Johnson, expressed confidence in appeal process.
- State government has appealed the decision.
- Ruling part of ongoing power struggle between former governor Nyesom Wike and current governor Siminialayi Fubara.
- Federal High Court ordered Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to halt payments to state local government councils.
- Appeal process underway at Court of Appeal.
The Rivers State government has responded to the Federal High Court ruling in Abuja, which ordered the cessation of local government allocations. According to Joe Johnson, Rivers state Commissioner for Information, the ruling was anticipated due to various developments during the court process. Johnson mentioned that when the trial judge refused to add the 23 Council Chairmen as parties, declined the state’s request to change its lawyer, and overruled their jurisdiction objection, it was clear that the ruling would not be in their favor .
Johnson revealed that the state government has appealed the decision and is confident that the Court of Appeal will overturn the ruling. This development is part of the ongoing power struggle between former Rivers governor Nyesom Wike and current governor Siminialayi Fubara.
It’s worth noting that the Federal High Court’s judgment ordered the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to halt all payments to the state local government councils. The situation is complex, with many stakeholders involved. The Rivers State government is urging calm and has expressed confidence in the appeal process.
