By Abiodun JIMOH
The Federal Government has withheld the October Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) revenue payment to Rivers State, citing an ongoing legal dispute linked to the conflict between Governor Siminalayi Fubara and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
The Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF) confirmed the development through its spokesperson, Bawa Mokwa, in a statement to journalists on Friday.
On Wednesday, the government announced the approval of N1.141 trillion as October 2024 FAAC allocations to the federal, state, and local governments. However, Rivers State was excluded following a Federal High Court order barring the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Federal Government from disbursing the funds to the state.
Mokwa affirmed that the OAGF would respect the court ruling, stating, “The October FAAC revenue has not yet been distributed. However, the Federal Government will obey the court order concerning Rivers State’s allocation unless a contrary directive is issued.”
Justice Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court issued the injunction on October 30, 2024, amid tensions between Fubara and Wike. The rift has drawn national attention, with speculations linking it to political power plays in Rivers State.
The OAGF assured that the disbursement process for other states is ongoing, though no allocations had been finalized as of the time of this report. This decision has further heightened the stakes in the escalating political and legal battle between the two key figures from Rivers State.
