Ijaw group calls for calm over court ruling on Rivers allocation

The President of the Ijaw National Congress (INC), Prof. Benjamin Okaba, has urged his kinsmen to remain calm over the judgement, which ordered that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) cease all monthly financial allocations to the Rivers.

Okaba gave the advice at the 10th anniversary of the Ijaw Women Connect (IWC) held in Warri.

He said that the high court judgement in Rivers would not stand the test of time.

The Ijaw leader also urged President Bola Tinubu to intervene in the situation in Rivers.

“In the light of the high court judgement stopping or denying statutory allocations to Rivers, INC considers it unconstitutional,” he said.

Okaba commended the IWC for their support in the struggle to liberate the Ijaw nation and urged them to keep it up.

He also appreciated the group’s achievements in empowerment, advocacy, mobilisation and others in the region and urged them to sustain it.

In her remark, Dr. Vivian Elenwo, President of the IWC, said that the body was formed to speak with a strong voice.

Elenwo added that the group was established to encourage the Ijaw women’s participation in socio-political and economic issues, amongst others.

She paid glowing tributes to the founder and pioneer of IWC, Mrs Rosemary John-Oduone for her foresight in midwiving the group to what it is now.

“We want to appreciate the founder and pioneer president, Mrs John-Oduone for her unwavering dedication, leadership and foresight to lay the foundation for the success of this organisation,” Elenwo said.

She recounted the successes of the body in the area of empowerment, advocacy and mobilisation of Ijaw women across the country.

Elenwo, however, urged members to always unite and support their leaders.

NAN reports that on Oct. 30, a Federal High Court in Abuja ordered the CBN to cease all monthly financial allocations to the Rivers State government.

Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, who delivered the judgement, cited “constitutional somersault” and “aberration” in how Gov. Siminalayi Fubara has been handling the state’s budget since January.

Justice Abdulmalik’s decision follows Rivers State Governor Fubara’s recent presentation of the 2024 budget to the state’s legislature.

The judge highlighted that only four members were present in the Rivers House of Assembly when Fubara presented the budget, which she called a “flagrant affront” to constitutional requirements.

This setup, the court held, is a gross violation of the constitutional principles enshrined in the 1999 Nigerian Constitution.

Furthermore, Justice Abdulmalik condemned Fubara’s disbursement and receipt of monthly allocations, saying that these actions have “grossly violated the Constitution” that the governor swore to uphold.

Consequently, the court issued a restraining order not only to the Central Bank of Nigeria but also to the Accountant General of the Federation, Zenith Bank, and Access Bank.