A human rights lawyer named Femi Falana, SAN, has stated that the decision of the Court of Appeal to vacate the injunctions prohibiting the release of funds to the government of Rivers State by the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Accountant General of the Federation is consistent with the principles of federalism stated in the Nigerian Constitution.
On Friday's Politics Today on Channels Television, Falana made the statement, praising the decision and the previous ruling by the same court that upheld the validity of the Rivers State local government election.
The rulings that have been handed down by the Court of Appeal upholding the validity of the local government election held by the Rivers State Electoral Commission and the decision that was handed down today nullifying the seizure of the statutory allocation of Rivers State are both in accordance with the principles of federalism stated in the Federal Republic of Nigeria Constitution.
Federal agencies or officials' involvement in a case involving state or local finances, elections, or internal affairs does not give the Federal High Court jurisdiction, according to the Court of Appeal.
The president's statement was accompanied by his conviction that the two rulings handed down by the Court of Appeal will significantly strengthen the foundational principles of federalism in the nation.
The senior attorney maintained that the State High Court, and not the Federal High Court, should have jurisdiction over the aforementioned matters.
According to GROWING2GETHER7, on Friday, Justice Hamman Barka of the Court of Appeal in Abuja ruled that the case did not fall under the court's jurisdiction because it did not involve state money.
The appellate court upheld the Rivers State government's appeal and vacated Justice Joyce Abdulmalik's orders, finding that her restrictions on the state's ability to receive funds from the consolidated revenue fund were unconstitutional.
It was determined by the court of appeals that the lower court had overstepped its bounds and lacked the authority to consider the case.
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