NEW YORK (MarketWatch) -- An appellate court Sunday overturned an earlier lower-court decision to block Wells Fargo & Co.'s WFC, -2.35% acquisition of Wachovia Corp. WB, -3.74% . The earlier ruling had halted the $15 billion transaction by extending an exclusivity agreement that Citigroup C, -2.12% , a rival bidder for Wachovia, had for a merger. Wells Fargo issued a statement late Sunday saying: "We are pleased that the unfounded order entered yesterday has been vacated. Wells Fargo will continue working toward the completion of its firm, binding merger agreement with Wachovia."