Supreme Court to Hear PDP Governors’ Case Against Rivers State Emergency After Easter Break
11 governors challenge President Tinubu’s suspension of elected officials, appointment of Sole Administrator
The Supreme Court is set to fix a hearing date for the high-profile suit filed by 11 Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors challenging the declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State—but not until after its ongoing Easter vacation.
According to Dr. Festus Akande, Director of Information and Public Relations at the Supreme Court, the matter will be addressed once the Justices return to work.
“The court is on vacation now. But when the Justices return at the end of the month, a hearing date will be fixed,” Akande confirmed.
The Legal Dispute Over Tinubu’s Emergency Powers
The suit, SC/CV/329/2025, questions the constitutional authority of President Bola Tinubu to suspend a democratically elected government and install a Sole Administrator in any Nigerian state—specifically in Rivers.
The legal challenge follows President Tinubu’s March 18 declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State, which led to the suspension of:
- Governor Siminalayi Fubara
- Deputy Governor Ngozi Odu
- All elected members of the Rivers State House of Assembly
The emergency was declared for an initial period of six months, during which the President appointed retired Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas as Sole Administrator to oversee the state’s affairs.
The Plaintiffs: 11 PDP Governors Take a Stand
The lawsuit was filed by the governors of 11 PDP-controlled states:
- Adamawa
- Enugu
- Osun
- Oyo
- Bauchi
- Akwa Ibom
- Plateau
- Delta
- Taraba
- Zamfara
- Bayelsa
They are suing the Attorney General of the Federation and the National Assembly, who are listed as the first and second defendants.
The plaintiffs are requesting the court to interpret the legality of President Tinubu’s actions under several sections of the 1999 Constitution, including:
- Sections 1(2), 5(2), 176, 180, 188, and 305
– Do these give the President power to suspend a sitting governor and deputy governor and replace them with an unelected appointee? - Sections 1(2), 4(6), 11(4), 11(5), 90, 105, and 305
– Can the President lawfully dissolve or suspend a state House of Assembly during an emergency?
Governors Sound the Alarm on Federal Overreach
The suit also expresses concern over alleged threats made by the President—reportedly conveyed via the Attorney General—to suspend other elected governors and deputies under similar circumstances.
The governors argue that such actions could violate the Constitution and dangerously erode Nigeria’s federal structure, which guarantees autonomy to states and their institutions.
All eyes now turn to the Supreme Court, which is expected to weigh in on what could become a landmark ruling on executive power, constitutional limits, and the balance between national security and democracy.
📌 Follow NaijaListo.com for updates on the case, political reactions, and all the latest from Nigeria’s judiciary and government.
