(DDM) – The Federal High Court in Abuja has dismissed a suit challenging President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s March 18, 2025, proclamation of a state of emergency in Rivers State.
The decision, delivered on Thursday by Justice James Omotosho, quashed the legal challenge brought forward by Belema Briggs and four others.
The plaintiffs had asked the Court to void the emergency declaration, which suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara and members of the Rivers State House of Assembly for six months.
Tinubu’s proclamation also led to the appointment of an interim administrator to run the affairs of the state during the suspension.
Diaspora Digital Media (DDM) gathered that the emergency order was one of the most controversial decisions taken by Tinubu’s administration in 2025.
The proclamation came amid escalating political tension, violent clashes, and deepening rivalry between factions in the Rivers political landscape.
Delivering judgment, Justice Omotosho held that the five plaintiffs lacked the legal capacity to bring the case before the Federal High Court.
He ruled that such disputes could only be adjudicated upon by the Supreme Court, which has jurisdiction over conflicts between the federal government and states.
The judge stressed that none of the plaintiffs claimed membership of the State Executive Council or the Rivers House of Assembly, nor did they demonstrate any injury beyond that suffered by other citizens of Rivers State.
Worse still, the Court noted that the plaintiffs did not obtain the fiat of the Rivers State Attorney General, a necessary condition for filing such an action on behalf of the state.
Justice Omotosho further observed that Tinubu’s justification for the emergency rule namely, to forestall an imminent breakdown of law and order, was never challenged by the plaintiffs.
According to him, the claim of breach of fundamental rights was weak, since the President had invoked the provisions of the Emergency Powers Act lawfully to address what he considered an “unpleasant situation.”
He concluded that the suit was “frivolous, baseless, and incompetent,” stressing that the plaintiffs had no mandate of the people of Rivers State to institute it on their behalf.
Political analysts say the ruling strengthens the hand of the Presidency, which has faced criticism for allegedly overreaching its powers in suspending an elected governor and legislature.
Supporters of the President argue that the move was necessary to restore peace, while critics maintain it was a dangerous precedent that undermined democratic institutions.
The Rivers crisis has remained one of Nigeria’s most volatile political flashpoints in recent years, with recurring clashes between power blocs threatening stability in the oil-rich state.
Governor Fubara’s suspension and the subsequent federal takeover have heightened debates about federalism, executive powers, and the autonomy of states in Nigeria’s democracy.
With the High Court’s dismissal of the case, attention may now shift to the Supreme Court if other stakeholders in Rivers choose to escalate the matter.
As at press time, reactions from the Rivers State Government and political actors were still being awaited.
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