Rivers Crisis: Court To Rule July 18 On Bid To Halt Budget, Appointments Under Ibas

The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has fixed July 18, 2025, for ruling on a motion seeking to stop the National Assembly from approving budgets and appointments for Rivers State under the current Sole Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (rtd.).

Justice James Omotosho fixed the date on Wednesday after hearing arguments from both counsel for the plaintiffs and the defence during proceedings on the motion for interlocutory injunction.

Naijaonpoint understands that President Bola Tinubu appointed Ibas as Sole Administrator following the six-month suspension of Governor Siminalayi Fubara.

The motion, filed in suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/1190/2025, was brought by several Rivers indigenes and the Registered Trustees of Hope Africa Foundation. Other plaintiffs include King Oziwe Amba, Chief Julius Bulous, Chief George Ikeme, Chief Amachelu Orlu, and Prince Odioha Wembe.

They are asking the court to restrain the National Assembly and its Clerk, listed as the 1st and 2nd defendants, from “approving, supporting or engaging in any legislative activities” concerning appointments or budget approvals from the Rivers State Government under the sole administrator.

According to the plaintiffs, the current budget forwarded by Ibas and passed by the National Assembly arose from an “unconstitutionally prohibited ‘voice vote’ not provided for under the 1999 Constitution.”

Lead counsel to the applicants, Ambrose Owuru, urged the court to halt any further legislative support to the Ibas-led government pending the determination of the substantive suit.

He argued that the declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers was unconstitutional, as the National Assembly did not meet the threshold of a two-thirds majority required by law.

In their supporting affidavit, the plaintiffs said the emergency administration had continued to “constitute committees and approve funds” while ignoring ongoing protests and “rising restiveness” in the state.

They argued that only a duly elected governor could lead the state and that their fundamental rights to democratic governance had been violated.

Opposing the motion, counsel to the National Assembly and its Clerk, Mohammed Galadima, dismissed the application as lacking merit.

In a counter affidavit, the defendants described the plaintiffs’ claims as a “contrived falsehood” and stated that all actions taken by the legislature followed due process.

They maintained that there was no breach of the constitution and warned that halting the National Assembly’s involvement in Rivers’ governance could trigger “pandemonium and confusion.”

“The grant of this motion would not be in the interest of justice,” Galadima submitted.

Despite the ongoing legal tussle, the Senate on June 25 passed the Rivers State 2025 budget totalling ₦1.485 trillion after the third reading of the appropriation bill.