Court denies stay in Rivers LGs fund allocation suit

Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court in Abuja has dismissed objections raised by the Rivers government regarding a suit seeking to halt expenditures by Governor Siminalayi Fubara. The suit named several defendants, including financial institutions and government officials.

Despite efforts to delay proceedings, Justice Abdulmalik ruled against the state government and other defendants, describing their requests as frivolous and unwarranted. The plaintiffs, the Rivers House of Assembly and Mr. Martin Amaewhule, sought to restrain financial institutions from honoring Fubara’s financial instructions.

In a twist, the Rivers State House of Assembly changed its counsel, claiming that Amaewhule was not authorized to file the suit due to his status as a former member. Justice Abdulmalik rejected the application for a change of counsel and dismissed requests for adjournment by defense lawyers.

Overall, the court rejected objections to hearing the case in Abuja, despite the state government’s appeals to the Court of Appeal. The judge reserved judgment for a later date, signaling ongoing legal battles in this complex case.