A Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt on Friday issued a summon to President Bola Tinubu and seven others over the declaration of the state of emergency in Rivers state.
The seven others joined in the suit are the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the National Assembly, and the Attorney General of the Federation.
Others are the Rivers Sole Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas, Revenue and Fiscal Mobilization Commission, and Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN.
In the court documents titled, “Originating Summon,” the suit was filed in Suit No:FHC/PH/CS/45/2025, by the plaintiffs, Incorporated Trustees of Peoples Life Improvement Foundation, Precious Elekima and Inanna Wright Harry.
The plaintiffs, in the suit, were challenging the constitutionality of the emergency declaration.
The plaintiffs sought the court’s determination on several questions, including whether the President’s declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State on March 18, 2025, was unconstitutional, null and void.
“And a breach of Article 13 of the African Charter on human and people right (Ramification and Enforcement Act and Section 305 3(b) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 an amended.’’
They also sought an order restraining the state Administrator from appointing any caretaker committee for the 23 Local Government Councils, appointing commissioners into the state executive council.
“And or award contracts whatsoever in the state and or spending from the state government treasury.”
The plaintiff also sought an order to restore democracy in Rivers State and reinstating the Executive and Legislative arms of government, suspended on March 18, 2025.
They sought a perpetual injunction restraining the President from further suspending democratically elected officials in Rivers State.
The court gave 30 days to the defendants to respond to the summons, adding that failure to respond, the court might proceed with the case in their absence.
The summon was taken out by Ebere R. Ugwuja, ESQ, legal practitioner for the plaintiff.
NAN
