Ex-Rep Drags Tinubu, Akpabio, Others To Court Over Emergency Rule In Rivers

A Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, has fixed May 12, 2025, for substantive hearing in a suit filed by a former member of the House of Representatives, Dr. Farah Dagogo, against the suspension of both Rivers State governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy and members of the State House of Assembly.

To forestall difficulties in serving the defendants personally, the court granted an order for substituted services.

In the case with Suit No: FHC/PH/CS/50/2025, before Hon. Justice Adamu Turaki Mohammed, the plaintiff, Dagogo, who was a governorship aspirant in the 2023 general election, had on Wednesday, April 9, 2025, approached the court seeking reliefs connected to actions bothering on the declaration of state of emergency in the state.

Defendants in the suit were listed as President Bola Tinubu, the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, the Senate of the Federal Republic, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Tajudeen Abass, and Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (Rtd), the Sole Administrator for Rivers State.

In the motion ex parte filed on April 8, 2025, the Plaintiff’s legal team, led by Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), C. I. Enweluzo, requested the court to grant permission for substituted service of the originating summons and other related Court Processes. This was necessitated by difficulties in serving the Defendants personally.

The presiding judge, Justice Adamu Mohammed, after reviewing the affidavit sworn by Solomon Ayotamuno, a litigation assistant at Liberty Chambers, and hearing arguments from the Plaintiff’s counsel—including Femi Adegbite Esq., Monday. Dayi Esq., Daso Jack, and D. Bakweri Esq.—granted the application and further directed that a hearing notice be issued, and the case adjourned to May 12, 2025, for substantive hearing.

The court also ordered that all relevant court documents be served on the Defendants through DHL courier service to their last known addresses.

Tinubu had on March 18, 2025 declared a state of emergency in Rivers State with an initial six-month suspension of democratic governance over what he called prolonged political crisis in the State.