RIVERS: TINUBU DRAGGED TO ECOWAS COURT OVER EMERGENCY RULE

Read Time:2 Minute, 9 Second

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s federal government has been taken to the ECOWAS Community Court of Justice in Abuja over the declaration of a state of emergency and the suspension of democratically elected authorities in Rivers State.

This is according to a lawsuit dated March 20, 2025, and registered as ECW/CCJ/APP/18/25.

The applicants are requesting the court to annul the suspension of elected officials and the dissolution of democratic structures in Rivers State, arguing that restoring these institutions is essential for upholding democracy.

The plaintiffs, Harry Ibiso and 11 others, along with the Eastern Zone of the Ijaw Youth Council, are also seeking a court order to nullify all decisions, policies, and directives issued by the Sole Administrator, retired Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas, who was appointed by the respondent’s president on March 18.

In the application brought pursuant to Articles III and IV of the supplementary protocol amending ECOWAS Court’s protocol, Article II of the Protocol of the court, and Article 33 of the Rules of the court, the applicants averred that the respondent’s president (President Bola Ahmed Tinubu), elected into political office, lacked the powers to remove or suspend the governor of a state, who was also elected into the office.

They held that by removing the governor, Siminalayi Fubara; his deputy, Ngozi Odu; and members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, the fundamental rights of the applicants and the people of Rivers State have been violated.

“By so doing, the defendant has unlawfully taken away the democratic rights of the applicants and that of the population of Rivers State, both individually and collectively.

“The implication therefore is that the applicants and the people of Rivers State have lost their existence and dignity as human beings, having been politically emasculated by the loss of the values that accompany democratic governance and deprived of leaders duly elected by them in the democratic space.

“A state of emergency cannot be a guise or subterfuge for the usurpation of the executive functions of the governor or the exercise of the lawmaking powers of the legislature,” the applicants held.

The affidavit was disposed of by a constitutional lawyer, Festus Ogwuche, and others.

Meanwhile, the court is yet to fix a date for a hearing in the matter.

Recall that on Tuesday President Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers State.

On Thursday, the National Assembly approved Tinubu’s state of declaration in Rivers State despite uproar from opposition leaders.

The sole administrator of Rivers, Vice Admiral Ibas, has since Thursday resumed office.