Court Refuses To Vacate Order Restraining FG From Deducting States' Monies Over $418m Paris Club Debt

 A Federal High Court, Abuja, on Tuesday, refused to vacate its order restraining the Federal Government from deducting monies accruing to the 36 states from the federation account to settle $418 million judgment debt in relation to Paris Club Refund.
 
Justice Inyang Ekwo, who declined to grant the plea by counsel to the defendants in the suit, adjourned the matter until December 13.
 
Justice Ekwo held that since the order was made based on the plaintiffs’ motion on notice filed before the court, all pending applications would be taken on the next adjourned date.
 
Recall that the judge had, on November 5, made the order after counsel to the 36 state governments (plaintiffs), Jibrin Okutekpa, SAN, moved an ex-parte motion, seeking for an order of interim injunction, restraining the Federal Government from deducting any money accruing or due to all or any of the 36 states of the federation.

The court had also ruled that the restraining order would subsist pending the determination of the substantive suit.

In the suit, the 36 states Attorneys-General are the plaintiffs, some of the defendants listed in the suit include the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Accountant General of the Federation and Ministry of Finance.

Others are Central Bank of Nigeria, Debt Management Office, Federation Account Allocation Committee, Incorporated Trustees of Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON), among others.