Court stops Rivers from withholding local govt allocations

Justice James Omotoso on Thursday gave the order for status quo to be maintained by the parties in a suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/537/2024.

He said the order was pending the motion on notice for interlocutory injunction instituted by the council chairmen against the state and nine others.

The judge also stopped the Inspector-General of Polic, Police Commissioner in Rivers, Director General, State Security Service, and Director, State Security Service SSS from withdrawing the security personnel of the local government chairmen pending the final resolution of the their motion on notice.

Delivering the ruling in an ex-parte application argued by counsel for the chairmen, Aliyu Hussein, the judge directed the Rivers State Government not to frustrate or prevent the local government chairmen from discharging their duties and rendering services to their respective councils till the determination of the suit.

The chairmen had in the ex-parte application prayed for an order of interim injunction restraining the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Chairman, Revenue Mobilization, Allocation and Fiscal Commission, Rivers State Government, Attorney General of Rivers and Commissioner for Finance and others from witholding the revenue accrued to them pending the hearing and determination of their motion on notice.

The chairmen include Dr Chidi Lloyd (Emuoha); Alwell Ihunda (Port Harcourt); Dr Nwanosike Samuel (Ikwerre); Barrister George Ariolu (Obio-Akpor); Dr Obbinna Anyawu (Etche); and Chidorom Nwaiwu (Omuma).

Others are Dr Hope Ikiriko (Ahoada); Barrister Benjamin Isreal Eke (Ahoada East) and Dr Roland Sekibo (Akuku-Toru).

The defendants are IGP, CP Rivers, DG SSS, Director SSS Rivers, AGF, Chairman Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission, Rivers State Government, AG Rivers State and Finance Commissioner in Rivers State as 1st to 9th defendants.

The case was adjourned to May 2 for hearing.