Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court in Abuja has dismissed the request by Rivers State Government to stay proceedings in a suit seeking to stop allocation of fund to all the local government areas of Rivers State.
The judge held that the request argued by Goddy Uche, SAN, on behalf of the Rivers State Government was frivolous, vexatious, unwarranted and mischievous.
The Rivers State House of Assembly led by Martin Amaewhule had dragged the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, before the court praying for withholding of funds allocation to Rivers local governments.
The Rivers State government objected to hearing of the suit in Abuja but was turned down by the high court.
This prompted the state government to approach the Court of Appeal to intervene in the matter.
The state government filed an appeal marked CA/ABJ/CV/1197/2024 and filed a motion seeking the Federal High Court to stay proceedings until its appeal is determined.
However, after taking arguments from lawyer to the state government and Joseph Daudu, SAN, for the two plaintiffs, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik dismissed the request to stop proceedings on the ground that it was unmeritorious and mischievous.
The court insisted in going ahead with hearing of the suit.
