Eleven governors from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have filed a suit before the Supreme Court, contesting President Bola Tinubu’s suspension of the Rivers State government and the declaration of a state of emergency in the state. The governors argue that the President overstepped his constitutional powers by suspending the democratically elected leadership of Rivers State, including Governor Siminalayi Fubara, Deputy Governor Mrs. Ngozi Odu, and the entire State House of Assembly.
The suit, filed on Tuesday, seeks to determine whether the President has the authority to remove a sitting governor and replace them with an unelected administrator under the guise of a state of emergency. The plaintiffs, who represent the states of Adamawa, Enugu, Osun, Oyo, Bauchi, Akwa Ibom, Plateau, Delta, Taraba, Zamfara, and Bayelsa, also challenge the legality of the emergency rule itself, arguing that it contravenes key provisions of Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution.
At the heart of the suit is the contention that the President’s actions, particularly his appointment of Vice Admiral Ibok Ete Ibas (retd.) as the sole administrator of Rivers State, violate the principles of federalism and the constitutional rights of the state’s elected officials. The governors are calling on the Supreme Court to clarify whether such executive actions are permissible under the constitution.
The plaintiffs have also raised concerns over the broader implications of the President’s actions, warning that similar measures could be applied to other states, threatening the autonomy of state governments. The respondents, including the federal government, are required to respond to the suit within 14 days.
The legal battle comes after weeks of speculation and internal deliberations among the PDP governors, who were initially divided on how to respond to the President’s move. The case is expected to have significant constitutional and political implications, as it tests the limits of presidential powers and the protection of state governance in Nigeria.
The dispute is further compounded by the ongoing political tensions in Rivers State, where local leaders have called for a reversal of the emergency declaration and the reinstatement of Governor Fubara, highlighting the growing divide between federal and state authorities.
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