Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State has challenged a court ruling that banned the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) from disbursing monthly allocations to his state.

Recall that the Nigerian government recently confirmed that it has stopped the October monthly Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) revenue payment to the state.

According to the Spokesperson of the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation, Bawa Mokwa, on Friday, the decision to stop the payment was made in respect of a court order.

Meanwhile, Fubara’s legal team, led by Mr. Yusuf Ali, SAN, has filed a motion at the Court of Appeal in Abuja, seeking to overturn the ruling.

The ruling, issued by Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court on October 30, was made in response to a lawsuit filed by the faction of the Rivers State House of Assembly led by Hon. Martins Amaewhule. The lawsuit sought to stop the CBN from releasing funds to the state, citing Fubara’s refusal to present the state’s 2024 Appropriation Bill as directed by the court.

Governor Fubara, however, has argued that the Amaewhule-led faction had ceased to be legitimate lawmakers after defecting from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC). Fubara’s appeal, registered as CA/ABJ/CV/1303/2024, was considered alongside five additional appeals stemming from the same case.

The ruling date will be communicated later.