Supreme Court Judgement: “Why Administrator Ibas May Get Witheld Rivers Allocation,” FG Speaks
by by Esther Odili · Legit.ng News · Join- The federal government has stated that Rivers State’s allocation will be disbursed to the newly appointed administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok Ibas (retd), upon his resumption of office
- The Supreme Court had previously withheld the state’s allocation due to the crisis and lack of proper appropriation by the State House of Assembly
- Attorney-General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, confirmed this on Wednesday and explained why President Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency was necessary
Legit.ng journalist Esther Odili has over two years of experience covering political parties and movements.
State House, Abuja - The federal government led by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, on Wednesday, March 19, said that the allocation for Rivers state will be released to the Administrator of the State, Vice Admiral Ibok Ibas (retd) when he resumes office.
FG explains why Ibas will get state allocation
Following the crisis in the state, the Supreme Court had withheld the state allocation until the State House Assembly properly appropriated the funds for usage.
However, on Tuesday, March 18, President Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers, suspending the state Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy and members of the House of Assembly.
AGF clarifies Tinubu's action in Rivers state
As reported by Daily Trust, the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, while briefing State House correspondents at the presidential Villa, Abuja on Wednesday, said the funds could be released if the administrator requests it.
The minister said :
“If the administrator requests it, I will say it should be released to him.
“And to me, it will be in order for the release of that fund because the event of the extraordinary situation has brought them out of the normal situation of things.”
He also criticized those that said the President should have intervened in other forms instead of emergency, saying:
"I think the President has acted timeously. He has given the opportunity to all the parties involved to make amends. Before then, he had to assemble them, he had tried to mediate."
Read more about Rivers crisis here:
- Breaking: Photos emerge as Tinubu swears in Ibok-Ete Ibas as Rivers sole administrator
- Breaking: Senate postpones debate on state of emergency in Rivers, reason emerges
Fubara's suspension: Why Wike is not to be blamed
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Lateef Fagbemi, the minister of justice and attorney-general of the federation (AGF), on Wednesday, March 19, absolved Nyesom Wike of any wrongdoing in the protracted political crisis in Rivers state.
Legit.ng reports that Wike, the minister of the federal capital territory (FCT), has been engaged in a protracted political battle with his former mentee, Siminalayi Fubara, the now-suspended governor.
Speaking to the press in Abuja, Fagbemi clarified that Wike, the immediate past governor of Rivers state, played no role in the political crisis that led to the state of emergency declaration by President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday, March 18.