SUNTV GLOBAL REPORT
The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja has delivered a decisive ruling in favour of the Adamawa State Government, overturning a controversial judgment that would have forced the state to pay $35.6 million to Senator Ned Nwoko.
The appellate court’s decision effectively lifted a looming financial threat that had placed the state’s bank accounts at risk of being frozen, raising fears of a potential disruption to governance and public services.
The legal battle stemmed from a default judgment earlier granted by a Federal Capital Territory High Court in favour of Nwoko, who represents Delta North Senatorial District in the National Assembly. Following that ruling, an Order Nisi was issued directing banks nationwide to freeze Adamawa State’s funds to recover the alleged debt.
However, the state government challenged the decision by filing three separate appeals, contesting both the garnishee order and the refusal of the lower court to grant a stay of execution.
After hearing the consolidated appeals on December 2, 2025, the appellate court delivered its judgment on February 10, 2026, ruling entirely in favour of Adamawa State. The court set aside all earlier decisions and ordered that the case be returned to the FCT High Court for a full retrial.
According to a statement by the Governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Humwashi Wonosikou, the ruling has, for now, saved the state from paying over $35 million or its equivalent in naira.
While the appellate court’s decision offers immediate relief to Adamawa State, the substantive legal dispute is far from over. The retrial at the FCT High Court is expected to reopen arguments on the validity of the claim and determine whether any financial liability exists.
Nwoko, a lawyer and businessman, has previously been linked to high-profile disputes involving consultancy agreements, including controversies surrounding Paris Club refund recovery contracts with several state governments.
For now, the judgment marks a major legal victory for Adamawa authorities and averts what could have been one of the state’s heaviest debt obligations in recent years.
