Port Harcourt, Nigeria — Governors from states controlled by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) don file suit for Supreme Court to challenge the six-month suspension of Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara. Dis suspension come after President Bola Tinubu declare state of emergency for Rivers State on March 18, appointing a sole administrator to take over governance.
Fubara, alongside his deputy Ngozi Odu and members of the Rivers House of Assembly, dey suspended after Tinubu’s announcement. The action gree support from the National Assembly and local legislators, but the PDP governors from Bauchi, Adamawa, Bayelsa, Enugu, Osun, Plateau, and Zamfara don raise eyebrow about Tinubu’s legal power to carry out such drastic measure.
The governors, through their Attorney-Generals, dey seek Supreme Court to declare that “the President no get power at all to suspend any democratically elected governor or deputy governor, especially under the cover of a state of emergency.” Dem invoke Sections 1(2), 5(2), and 305 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) for the argument.
Dem also request the court to nullify the appointment of the sole administrator, saying the action contravened the constitutional provisions and the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 amendments. “Tinubu no get statutory powers to suspend a serving governor and install a sole administrator,” the governors talk.
In addition, they dey point fingers at the National Assembly, claiming that the voice votes dem use to ratify Tinubu’s actions no follow due process. The governors argue that declaration of state of emergency for Rivers State no meet constitutional requirements laid out in Section 305.
According to the litigants, “the President’s proclamation no fulfill necessary conditions for emergency declaration,” indicating that it for reasons wey no dey align with the Constitution. They claim the National Assembly’s approval by voice vote no valid, because the law require two-thirds majority vote from each legislative chamber.
The governors dey ask the Supreme Court for several orders: “An order to void the state of emergency proclamation for Rivers State; an order to stop Tinubu and his agents from carrying out the unlawful suspension of the governor and deputy governor; and an order to prevent any interference with the constitutional roles of the Rivers State governor and deputy governor,” dem petition.
Also, dem dey seek order to stop Tinubu from trying to suspend any other state governor across Nigeria, especially those from PDP states.
