A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has refused to halt the expenditures of Governor Siminalay Fubara of Rivers State.
This decision comes pending the hearing of a substantive suit filed by former Speaker of Rivers State House of Assembly Martin Amaewhule and former lawmakers loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr Nyesom Wike.
Justice Emeka Nwite, ruling on the motion ex-parte marked FHC/ABJ/CS/984/24 and filed by Sebastien Hon (SAN) /, ordered that all defendants be notified instead. The matter has been adjourned to 7 August for the hearing of the Motion on Notice.
The defendants include Governor Fubara, the Accountant-General of Rivers State, the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC), the Chief Judge of Rivers State, Justice S.C. Amadi, RSIEC Chairman Justice Adolphus Enebeli (retired), and the Government of Rivers State.
The suit, filed by former members of the Rivers State House of Assembly and Martin Amaewhule on 15 July 2024, lists the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Zenith Bank Plc, Access Bank Plc, and the Accountant-General of the Federation (AGF) as the first-four defendants.
Amaewhule and the defected lawmakers sought an injunction to prevent these banks from honouring any financial instructions from Governor Fubara. They also aimed to stop the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from providing voter registers to the RSIEC ahead of the 5 October 2024 local government elections.
Eighteen-Eleven Media