The Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed July 18 for ruling on a motion seeking to restrain the National Assembly from approving budgets or appointments for the Rivers State Government under its current Sole Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (rtd).
Ibas was appointed by President Bola Tinubu following the six-month suspension of Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
Justice James Omotosho scheduled the date after hearing arguments from the applicants’ counsel, Ambrose Owuru, and defence counsel, Mohammed Galadima.
The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1190/2025, was filed by several Rivers State indigenes and the Registered Trustees of Hope Africa Foundation, including King Oziwe Amba, Chief Julius Bulous, Chief George Ikeme, Chief Amachelu Orlu, and Prince Odioha Wembe.
They are seeking an order of interlocutory injunction restraining the National Assembly and its Clerk (1st and 2nd defendants) from further legislative activities concerning the Rivers State Government, pending the outcome of the substantive suit.
They argued that the purported state budget forwarded by Ibas was unconstitutional, citing an illegal “voice vote” approval method by the National Assembly.
In his argument, Owuru asked the court to halt the legislature’s actions relating to the emergency government in Rivers, claiming that the declaration of a state of emergency lacked proper legislative backing and violated constitutional provisions.
He added that since the case was filed, the defendants had been making appointments and approving budgets that emanated from what he called an illegitimate administration.
In response, Galadima asked the court to dismiss the motion, describing the plaintiffs’ claims as “contrived falsehoods” and insisting that the National Assembly had acted within the bounds of the Constitution.
He said halting legislative activities would cause confusion and disrupt governance in the state.
On June 25, the Senate passed the ₦1.485 trillion 2025 budget for Rivers State after a third reading of the appropriation bill.
