A Federal High Court in Abuja has declined to bar Governor Siminalayi Fubara from spending government funds pending the hearing and determination of the suit filed by the Martin Amaewhule-led Rivers State House of Assembly.

In the ruling on the motion ex parte marked FHC/ABJ/CS/984/24, Justice Emeka Nwite declined to grant prayers to restrict fund usage. However, he ordered the plaintiffs to notify the defendants.

Justice Nwite granted the motion ex parte to serve the 5th to 10th defendants by substituted means, stating, “Leave is hereby granted to the plaintiffs/applicants to serve the 5th to 10th defendants/respondents with the plaintiffs/applicants’ originating process and any other processes filed or issued in this suit by publishing them in The Nation newspaper.”

The judge further adjourned the matter to August 7th to hear the motion on notice.

The 5th to 10th defendants are Governor Fubara, the Accountant-General of Rivers, the Rivers Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC), the Chief Judge of Rivers Justice S.C. Amadi, the Chairperson of RSIEC Adolphus Enebeli, and the Government of Rivers State, respectively.

The Rivers State House of Assembly and Martin Amaewhule, the 1st and 2nd plaintiffs, filed the suit through their counsel, Joseph Daudu SAN, against the Central Bank of Nigeria, Zenith Bank Plc, Access Bank PLC, and the Accountant General of the Federation as the 1st to 4th defendants.