The Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation (OAGF) has confirmed its commitment to comply with court orders regarding the distribution of federal allocations to Rivers State amid ongoing legal disputes over the state's financial rights.

Bawa Mokwa, the Director of Press and Public Relations at the OAGF, emphasized that the presence of a notice of appeal has superseded previous court rulings, stating, “We are going to obey court order. If there is a notice of appeal, Rivers will be paid.”

This announcement follows a Federal High Court ruling on October 30, 2024, which mandated the Central Bank of Nigeria to halt further monthly allocations to Rivers State.

The court found that Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s budget presentation to a four-member House of Assembly was unconstitutional, labeling it a "constitutional aberration." Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, who presided over the case, indicated that funds allocated and utilized by the state since January 2024 were based on an invalid budget.

The ruling has raised significant concerns regarding the legitimacy of the State House of Assembly's composition and its authority to approve budgets. The judge criticized the governor for bypassing constitutional requirements necessary for budget approval by a fully constituted House of Assembly.

In her judgment in case FHC/ABJ/CS/984/2024, Justice Abdulmalik declared all decisions made by the Fubara-backed Assembly void, citing earlier rulings that had nullified its authority.

Moreover, the court found that Fubara’s actions violated Sections 91 and 96 of the 1999 Constitution and warned that any continued circumvention of legislative processes would undermine the rule of law. This decision stemmed from a lawsuit filed by a faction of the State House of Assembly led by Martin Amaewhule, which challenged the legitimacy of Fubara's faction.