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Popular SAN reacts to court halting funding to Rivers State, details emerge

Popular SAN reacts to court halting funding to Rivers State, details emerge

  • Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mohammed Ndarani, has said Rivers State is ‘living on debt’ financially after the Federal High Court halted the disbursement of funds
  • Ndarani slammed Governor Siminalai Fubara’s €800 billion budget proposal to just four members of the House as a serious breach of the constitution
  • Ndarani emphasized the crucial oversight role of the House of Assembly in ensuring accountability

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Mohammed Ndarani, commented on a recent judgment of the Federal High Court in Abuja.

Legit.ng reported that in the decision of Judge Joyce Abdulmalik, the Supreme Court temporarily suspended financial allocations for Rivers State.

SAN reacts to High Court ruling on river sharing
SAN, Ndarani speaks on High Court decision to stop river allocation Photo: Siminalayi Fubara/Nyesom Wike
Source: Twitter

However, this was in response to a suit filed by the Rivers House of Assembly and Martins Amaewkhule, who are seeking to prevent the Central Bank of Nigeria from disbursing the funds to the state.

Emphasizing the serious consequences of the court’s decision, Ndarani on Thursday, October 31, in Abujastated:

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Rivers court: Fubara under pressure as coalition demands return of ‘illegally spent funds’

“This decision underscores that Rivers State is living financially.”

What are the consequences of the court decision?

Earlier, Governor Siminalai Fubara proposed a 2024 budget of 800 billion euros, represented by only four of the 31 members of the House, which the Court of Appeal found to be a serious violation of constitutional provisions.

Speaking further, Ndarani claimed:

“For those who understand constitutional democracy, Justice Abdulmalik’s decision should not be surprising.

“The state cannot function effectively without the legislative branch of government, which is essential to maintaining checks and balances.”

Ndarani talks about legal violations, responsibility

Ndarani stressed that governors have no legal authority to use public funds without legislative approval, warning that such actions could be seen asconstitutionunder Section 120 of the Nigerian Constitution and may even lead to impeachment under Section 188.

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PDP youths react to court stopping CBN from disbursing funds to Rivers, Fubara advises what to do

He stated:

“Unauthorized spending could expose governor to embezzlement charges.”

He further noted that the oversight role of the House of Assembly is crucial to ensure accountability and prevent misuse of public funds.

“Without legislative oversight, the executive power risks undermining democratic principles and the rule of law,” he warned.

Ndarani stressed the constitutional requirement for legislative authorization for the withdrawal of public funds, pointing out that any deviation from this process amounts to a serious failure of governance.

“Failure to comply with these constitutional provisions endangers the very fabric of our democracy,” he concluded.

Rivers decision: Fubar ordered to reimburse “illegally spent funds”

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that The National Democratic and Coalition for Change (NDCC) has reacted to the recent decision of the Federal High Court by impeding the Central Bank Nigeria (CBN) from the continued payment of monthly allocations to the Rivers State Government.

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Rivers Crisis: Fubara reacts to court order to stop FG distribution, ‘Least of my problems’

This is stated in the statement of the president of the coalition, John Uloko Legit.ng on Thursday, October 32, demanded that Governor Fubara return any funds disbursed and spent without proper legislative appropriation.

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Source: Legit.ng