Chief Judge Orders Transfer Of All Rivers Emergency Rule Cases To Abuja

Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice John Tsoho, has approved the transfer of all cases in its Port Harcourt Division relating to President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of the state of emergency in Rivers State and the subsequent suspension of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Prof. Ngozi Odu, and members of the State House of Assembly, to its Abuja Division.

A document sighted by our correspondent listed the cases, including Dr Farah Dagogo v President and 4 others in Suit no FHC/PH/ CS/50/2025 and Pilex Centre for Civic Education Initiative & Another v The Administrator, suit no FHC/PHC/CS/46/2025.

Others affected are: Incorporated Trustee of Rivsbridge Peace v President and others in Suit no FHC/PH/SC/43/2025, Incorporated Trustee of People’s Life Improvement Foundation and others v the President and 2 others in Suit no FHC/PH/SC/2025, Belema Briggs and 4 others v the President and others in Suit no FHC/PH/SC/51/2025, and Samuel T. O. Amatonje Esq v President and others in Suit no FHC/ PH/SC/53/2025.

According to the chief judge, the cases were transferred to the Abuja Division in pursuance of Order 49, Rule 2 of the Federal High Court (Civil Procedures) Rules, 2019.

It was further gathered that before approving the transfers, the attorney-general of the federation, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, had written to the Federal High Court, citing the Court Rules for a transfer of the cases from the Port Harcourt Division to its Abuja Division.

Our correspondent was unable to ascertain what would be the fate of some of the cases that had already commenced hearing in the Port Harcourt Federal High Court, such as Dr. Farah Dagogo v President and 4 others (Suit no FHC/PH/ CS/50/2025), among others.