The Federal High Court in Abuja has dismissed a suit filed against President Bola Tinubu over the emergency rule he declared in Rivers State on March 18, 2025.
Justice James Omotosho, who delivered the judgment on Thursday, said the five plaintiffs who took the matter to court had no legal standing to do so.
President Tinubu had declared a six-month state of emergency in Rivers, suspending Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Ngozi Odu, and members of the State House of Assembly. A sole administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retd.), was appointed to run the state during the period.
Unhappy with the decision, some residents led by Belema Briggs challenged the move in court. They argued that the president had no constitutional power to suspend elected officials or hand executive powers to a sole administrator. They asked the court to overturn the suspension of the governor and stop Ibas from acting on the president’s authority.
But Justice Omotosho ruled otherwise. He said the plaintiffs could not file the case on behalf of the entire people of Rivers State, especially since none of those directly affected — the governor, his deputy, or lawmakers — were parties in the suit. He also noted that the plaintiffs failed to show they suffered any injury greater than that of other residents.
The judge described the case as “frivolous and baseless,” stressing that the president’s proclamation of emergency rule was justified to prevent a breakdown of law and order. He pointed out that Section 305 of the Constitution gives the president powers to act in such situations in the interest of public safety.
On the plaintiffs’ claim that Tinubu breached fundamental rights, Justice Omotosho held that the law on emergency powers was properly applied. He added that the question of whether the president had secured the required approval from the National Assembly could not be decided on the affidavit evidence presented.
Read Also;
Rivers NULGE declares strike over unpaid LG workers’ salaries
In the end, the court ruled that the president acted within the law, saying:
“Even if this court had jurisdiction, the weight of evidence clearly favours the defendants.”
The case was dismissed in its entirety.
