The Federal High Court in Abuja, on Friday has denied a request from the Rivers State Government to pause proceedings in a case aimed at stopping the allocation of funds to the 23 Local Government Areas in the state.
Judge Joyce Abdulmalik, the presiding judge, dismissed the request after hearing arguments from the state’s counsel, Gordy Uche, and the plaintiffs’ counsel, Joseph Daudu, deeming the request unmeritorious and mischievous. The court affirmed its intention to continue with the case.
The suit was filed by the Rivers State House of Assembly and its Speaker, Martin Amaewhule, who requested the court to instruct the Central Bank of Nigeria to withhold local government fund allocations for the state.
The Rivers State Government opposed the hearing in Abuja, but the court overruled this objection, prompting the state to seek intervention from the Court of Appeal.
The state government has since filed an appeal, marked CA/ABJ/CV/1197/2024, along with a motion to stay proceedings in the Federal High Court until the appeal is resolved.
Further details to follow…
