A Federal High Court in Abuja has declined to halt all expenditures by Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State pending the resolution of a lawsuit filed by the Martin Amaewhule-led Rivers Assembly. In a ruling on a motion ex-parte marked FHC/ABJ/CS/984/24, Justice Emeka Nwite, who presided over the case, directed that all defendants be notified of the suit. The motion was presented by Sebastien Hon.
However, Justice Nwite approved a separate motion ex-parte from the plaintiffs, allowing them to serve the fifth to 10th defendants with the originating process and related documents through substituted means.
The Judge said: “The leave is hereby granted to the plaintiffs/applicants to serve the fifth to 10th defendants/respondents with the plaintiffs/applicants’ originating and any other processes filed or issued in this suit by substituted means to wit: ‘By publishing same in the Nation Newspapers.”
Justice Nwite adjourned the matter until August 7 for a hearing of the motion on notice.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the fifth to 10th defendants are Fubara; Accountant-General (A-G) of Rivers; Rivers Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC); Chief Judge (CJ) of Rivers, Hon. Justice S.C. Amadi; Chairman of RSIEC, Hon. Justice Adolphus Enebeli (rtd.) and Government of Rivers State respectively.
The Rivers State House of Assembly and Rt Hon Martin Amaewhule (1st and 2nd plaintiffs) had, through their lead counsel, Joseph Daudu, SAN, filed the suit dated July 14 but filed July 15.
They had sued the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Zenith Bank Plc, Access Bank Plc and the Accountant-General of the Federation (AGF) as 1st to 4th defendants respectively.
Also joined in the suit are Fubara, Rivers A-G, RSIEC, Rivers CJ, Chairman of RSIEC and Rivers government as 5th to 10 defendants.
