PDP Governors Take Legal Action Against Tinubu’s Emergency Rule in Rivers State
Eleven governors from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are challenging President Bola Tinubu’s decision to declare a state of emergency in Rivers State.
The emergency rule, which was put in place on 18th March 2025, led to the suspension of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, Deputy Governor Ngozi Odu, and the Rivers State House of Assembly. The governors argue that this action goes against the Constitution and threatens the rights of Rivers State’s people.
What’s the Legal Issue?
The PDP governors, who come from Adamawa, Enugu, Osun, Oyo, Bauchi, Akwa Ibom, Plateau, Delta, Taraba, Zamfara, and Bayelsa, have filed a suit with the Supreme Court. Their main question is whether the President had the power to suspend elected state officials and appoint a sole administrator in their place. The emergency rule also saw the appointment of Vice Admiral Ibok Ete Ibas (retd.) as the sole administrator to run the state’s affairs.
The governors are asking the court to decide on three major points:
- Does the President have the authority to remove elected officials?
They want to know if the President can suspend state officials and replace them with someone who wasn’t elected by the people. - Is the emergency rule a violation of the Constitution?
The governors believe that the declaration of emergency goes against the Constitution, which protects the rights of state governments. - Can federal officials make such sweeping claims?
The governors also take issue with comments from federal officials suggesting that the President can freely suspend state leaders, arguing that this violates the federal system.
The Sole Administrator Controversy
The appointment of Vice Admiral Ibok Ete Ibas as Rivers State’s sole administrator has raised eyebrows. While the federal government argues that this was necessary for security, the PDP governors see it as an overstep, bypassing the elected officials and disregarding the will of the people.
The Supreme Court has given the federal government 14 days to respond to the lawsuit. The ruling could set an important precedent for the future of federalism in Nigeria, especially in how emergency powers are used by the federal government.
Why This Case Matters for Nigerian Federalism
This case is about more than just Rivers State—it’s about the balance of power between the federal and state governments. What started with seven PDP-led states has now expanded to eleven, making this a crucial case that could affect how state autonomy is handled in the future.